Elections

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, with today being an election day for my American friends on the forum, I'd like to encourage you to take the time to vote today.

We recently had elections for Mayor and City Councillor in the city I live in, and only 50% of the voters voted. Pretty disappointing, and as my father would have said "If you didn't vote, don't complain about the outcome".

Of course, SC members are probably a group of socially active people so I may be preaching to the choir on the voting issue.

regards, Rod.

[Jeff Monson]

Lines were long at lunch hour!!! Was lunch hour and a half for me today, but I got my vote in!

[Dan Friedrichs]

Colorado mails me a ballot - that's really convenient!

[Rod Sheridan]

Jeff, the long lines are a good sign.

Dan, does everyone in Colorado receive a mail in ballot or are you in a very remote area?

regards, Rod.

[Matt Meiser]

No lines right after lunch time at our small town precinct where pretty much everyone who isn't a full-time farmer, stay at home mom, unemployed, or retired is out of the township during the day. My only complaint is that in a couple places I would have liked to vote "none of the above" as a vote of no confidence in any of the candidates. It would be interesting to see the results if we formally had that option--to where no candidate would win if "none" got the most votes.

So glad the election is over since now they will stop robo-calling my <censored> phone 5 times a day.

[Jim Tobias]

Voted early last week. Lines were long even then.

Jim

[Mike Ashton]

So glad the election is over since now they will stop robo-calling my <censored> phone 5 times a day.


AMEN! and add to that spamming my radio and TV with negative ads on how incompetent everyone is!

Yes, I voted and would love to vote "none of the above" when applicable.

[Jerome Hanby]

I hit the polls about 7:30 Am this morning. My last name letter queue was the only one without a line. Still took a minute to find an open alcove for filling out my ballot...

[Dave Lehnert]

Hi, with today being an election day for my American friends on the forum, I'd like to encourage you to take the time to vote today.

We recently had elections for Mayor and City Councillor in the city I live in, and only 50% of the voters voted. Pretty disappointing, and as my father would have said "If you didn't vote, don't complain about the outcome".

Of course, SC members are probably a group of socially active people so I may be preaching to the choir on the voting issue.

regards, Rod.

50% voter turn out I think is considered good for most areas.
One would think it would be closer to 80-90% the way people carry on about things.

[Gene Howe]

Voted at 8 am. No lines. There never are. All booths were full but, by the time I got my ballot, one opened up.
Lots of propositions on this ballot. Takes some time to read them. Shoulda wrote down my voting preferences beforehand, like the wife did. Still, we were in and out in 15 minutes.

[Bryan Morgan]

My wife and I vote as permanent absentee. This gives us lots of time to go over every single thing on the ballot and research every person as thoroughly as we can. Wish every body would put as much effort in as we do.

[Chris Padilla]

Mailed in my ballot a week ago. In California, you can request ballots be mailed.

[Bill Cunningham]

Hi, with today being an election day for my American friends on the forum, I'd like to encourage you to take the time to vote today.

We recently had elections for Mayor and City Councillor in the city I live in, and only 50% of the voters voted. Pretty disappointing, and as my father would have said "If you didn't vote, don't complain about the outcome".

Of course, SC members are probably a group of socially active people so I may be preaching to the choir on the voting issue.

regards, Rod.

We just had our municipal elections up here, and 50% is considered to be a phenominal turnout.. I think Toronto's 'last' municipal elections had less than a 40% turn-out. My municipality ran just over 50% .. Sad eh!

I think half the U.S.A. is watching California and Prop. 19. In California, Half will vote, the other half..Well, they were going to but uh... forgot when they found the munchies:D

[Greg Peterson]

Oregon has been strictly a vote by mail for some time now. I handed in my ballot last evening.

I like the UK's way of campaigning. Candidates can not run ads until two weeks before the election. By Thursday the pundits will be talking all about 2012.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Dan, does everyone in Colorado receive a mail in ballot or are you in a very remote area?



No, I'm in Denver metro, but you can request permanent mail-in voter status, and they send a ballot for every election. It's a rather thick, large, long, scan-tron-type form, that you have you stick in one envelope, then stick that envelope inside of another envelope, and mail back in - I think it must be very expensive, but the county doesn't seem to mind...

[Bryan Morgan]

I think half the U.S.A. is watching California and Prop. 19. In California, Half will vote, the other half..Well, they were going to but uh... forgot when they found the munchies:D


You'd have to read the actual law. 99% of the time whatever is on the summary on the ballot is not what the actual law says ;) Thats why it takes me so long to vote. I actually read all that junk, specifically looking for all the little stuff they try to slip in. 900 words about schools or whatever and then one or two sentences about something completely unrelated and something you'd never in a million years vote for. :D

[Steve knight]

I find it hard ot really know anything real about the candidates. I don't watch tv so I am somewhat clueless.

[Anthony Scira]

No TV is a good thing. The people that watch TV are way more clueless.

[Anthony Scira]

Am so glad its over.........for now.

It seems like politics around here is becoming more and more like Christmas. It keeps getting earlier and earlier.

[Zach England]

I don't vote. It only encourages the (whatever you want to call them).

[Keith Outten]

I haven't missed voting in an election since I was 18 years old, thats 41 years.
The idea that so many people have sacrificed so much for us to have the privilege is what makes me want to participate. After an election I always feel that I have earned the right to complain because I support the system, good or bad :(
.

[Charlie Reals]

mailed it in last week, pretty much none of the above would have been a welcome choice. I am relieved and so happy it's over, now we get to listen to the whining. So glad smc keeps it off here.

[Chris Damm]

I too, voted last week. I've always said "If you don't vote you can't complain!".

[Chris Kennedy]

I voted yesterday afternoon after work. There weren't lines, but it looked like they were doing steady business, which made me happy.

Voter apathy is pretty sad at times.

I sometimes wish the States were a little more parliamentary in the sense that you could have a no confidence vote and call an election, particularly if it were on short notice.

And I agree with what was already said -- now all we'll hear about is 2012.

Cheers,

Chris

[Derby Matthews]

Lines were short in my district, but we had a 70% turnout.

Glad it's over with. Now Bob Vila and Sears (or whoever he pitches for now) can afford Air time again.

Back to the bench.....

BTW, Anybody have furniture-related creative ideas on what to do with all those roadside signs blowing around now?

[Belinda Barfield]

Already hearing about 2012.

I voted last Tuesday. No lines, no waiting. I love early voting. :)

[Tom Winship]

I guess the most disappointing thing that I saw last nite on the local news was that they showed people pictures of the candidates in the TX DST 17 US congress race. This was a hotly contested race where the incumbent was ousted from a 20 year Congressional seat.

At least from those individuals that they showed, almost none knew who the pictures were of. Most of the people they showed were young but probably voting age.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks,

I will remind you. It violates the TOSs to make political statements and they will be removed.

It is also against the TOSs to use profanity or implied profanity.

Prove to us you have some self discipline and stay within the TOSs.

Please.

[Jim Becker]

The idea that so many people have sacrificed so much for us to have the privilege is what makes me want to participate.


After an election I always feel that I have earned the right to complain because I support the system, good or bad
.

When I talk about voting to folks, I leave the words "right" and "privilege" behind and focus squarely on "responsibility". Citizens have the responsibility to vote. You are correct that many scarifies have been made to preserve our opportunity to exercise our rights and responsibilities across the board. And as you point out, voting is the only way to truly get the "permission slip" to complain!

I have very rarely missed a vote and those few times were when I unfortunately forgot to file for an absentee ballot and had to be away traveling on business. I make sure that doesn't happen anymore.

[Don Alexander]

a LOUSY 45% turnout locally no wonder we have the mess we have

got to admit i was tempted to vote "none" in a few cases myself

its a good thing that our countries founders weren't as apathetic as it seems most people are these days or we wouldn't have a country

[Matt Newton]

I would like to thank all the members of SMC for a civil conversation about that 4 letter word "politics". Like you all I have heard enough over the last months to last me till 2012. Whatever your political leanings at least we can all agree on the importance of getting out and voting. Thanks again for that breath of fresh air.

[Derby Matthews]

Hi Ken, Sorry about that. Meant no offense here. Will do.