I voted today (albeit reluctantly)

[Larry_OHF]

I voted downtown today (early voting for those that cannot do it on Tuesday) and am glad that its over with. I almost decided not to go because I do not feel that any one party speaks for me, and though my card says that I belong to a group, I would prefer it did not...though to remove the affiliation would mean not being allowed to vote in local elections, if I understand correctly.

Today, I did not vote for any single party, rather I read bullet points on all those I had to choose from and marked on paper those that I liked, no matter the affiliation. Of course, I do not expect any of those chosen to keep all their promises, but around here if you do not vote, people treat you like you've just bathed in pig manure, so in order to get people off my back I did what they say I had to do...but in reality...no matter who is voted for, neither party will uphold their commitments and all the time I spent deciding who was promising the best things was really just a waste of time because I feel that most polititians want the same thing for themselves; more money in their own pockets and to become more powerful so as to decide my fate in this life without my input because I am too lowly in class to have my own opinion.

Whatever the outcome, I lose one way or the other, yet at least my peers will give me a pat on the back instead of sneering at me in disdain. That, and I can always dream of having the extreme luck of helping put a good person in power that really does want to help me and my family...which is comparable to winning the lottery. My chances for getting either is slim, but the dream is there.

[SpiritWarrior]

So when do the non-voters get flogged in your town? Sundown? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Olorin]

I officially became a "decline to state" voter several elections ago. Of course, a voter without a party affiliation can't just be called "Independent" because that means you're signed up with the American Independent Party.

Normally, if you're not registered with a particular party, then you cannot vote in the primary races. You can still vote in any local elections, and for the final elections for all offices. In California, those of us without a party affiliation can actually ask to vote in either the Republican or the Democratic primary each time. We can't vote for both in the same year, but each election, we can choose which primary to vote in (though registered Democrats can't choose to vote in the Republican primary or vice versa).

I'll be voting on Tuesday. We have a lot of propositions on the ballot, and I want to vote against all these bond proposals. It makes no sense to me to take out 30 year loans to pay for things like road maintenance that are going to need to be paid for every year.

I often agree that their are often no good choices between political candidates. The problem seems to get worse the bigger the office is (sometimes you see good people in local politics, but at the state and national level, it's very rare). I'm often tempted to write in "None of the above" to register my disapproval of the choices that the major parties give me.

I've often wondered if the ballots all had "none of the above" as a choice, how often a majority would choose to have no one rather than the choices we're given.

[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by Olorin: Normally, if you're not registered with a particular party, then you cannot vote in the primary races. You can still vote in any local elections, and for the final elections for all offices. In California, those of us without a party affiliation can actually ask to vote in either the Republican or the Democratic primary each time. We can't vote for both in the same year, but each election, we can choose which primary to vote in (though registered Democrats can't choose to vote in the Republican primary or vice versa).

Ah yes...that sounds right. I got it flipped. Thanks!

[Bungleau]

Every vote does count, and if you want to make a difference, vote for a third choice.

Some examples of one vote:

• In 1997, Vermont State representative Sydney Nixon was seated as an apparent one vote winner, 570 to 569. Mr Nixon resigned when the State House determined, after a recount, that he had actually lost to his opponent Robert Emond 572 to 571.
• In 1989, a Lansing, Michigan School District millage proposition failed when the final recount produced a tie vote 5,147 for, and 5,147 against. On the original vote count, votes against the proposition were ten more than those in favor. The result meant that the school district had to reduce its budget by $2.5 million.
• In 1994, Republican Randall Luthi and Independent Larry Call tied for a seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives from the Jackson Hole area with 1,941 votes each. A recount produced the same result. Mr. Luthi was finally declared the winner when, in a drawing before the State Canvassing Board, a pingpong ball bearing his name was pulled from the cowboy hat of Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan.
• In 1997, South Dakota Democrat John McIntyre led Republican Hal Wick 4,195 to 4,191 for the second seat in Legislative District 12 on election night. A subsequent recount showed Wick the winner at 4,192 to 4,191. The State Supreme Court however, ruled that one ballot counted for Wick was invalid due to an overvote. This left the race a tie. After hearing arguments from both sides, the State Legislature voted to seat wick 46 to 20.

(source: US Election Assistance Commission)

There are other stories of things decided by one vote... some are legit, and some are not. Check www.snopes.com for some examples...

One thought... if you think that you're unimportant, that your vote doesn't count, and that what you do is unimportant to your elected officials.... you're absolutely right.

However, if you think that you *are* important, that what you do can make a difference, and that your vote can swing things.... you are *ALSO* absolutely right.

It's all up to you... so get out there and vote!

I'll be going on Tuesday...

[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by Bungleau: Every vote does count, and if you want to make a difference, vote for a third choice. I'll be going on Tuesday...

A comment for you.

Not every position to fill on this ballot had an opposition in my state, therefore there were sometimes only one person in the slots. Why we were asked to check the box or not is odd, for what did it matter? If we do not like them and do not vote for them, they still get the job because nobody ran against them. For some of the ones that I did have a choice for, there were some occasions where I had to choose between two people that I did not agree with, for neither had great credentials or promises...but choosing the lesser of the evils was all I could do. I am still screwed in the end but at least he'll use vasaline.

I will admit that there were three people on the ballot in the schoolboard offices that seem to be promisingly good. Will power corrupt them? We'll see.

Edit:

Oh...almost forgot...we were using those touch-button monitors...and there was no place to write-in a person's name like I have heard people being able to do...Is that no longer allowed or something, because these machines are not set up to take write-ins.

I was also upset to see that some of the people running and even one of the bonds I wanted to vote for were not on the ballot. Why not, I wonder.

[ 11-04-2006, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[ElfBane]

"Once you have spoken to the Darkness...",,,It's easy to despair, and let cynicism cause one not to vote. Resist that urge, and choose the Light.

[Olorin]

Originally posted by Larry_OHF: A comment for you. Oh...almost forgot...we were using those touch-button monitors...and there was no place to write-in a person's name like I have heard people being able to do...Is that no longer allowed or something, because these machines are not set up to take write-ins.

I used a touch screen voting machine too. At least on the ones I was using, a write-in could be done by clicking on the empty line below the list of candidates (there was always one blank like with a circle to click). If you chose that line, then it would change the screen to a keyboard and allow you to write in a name.

I hope that this feature is available on all voting machines, because not being able to vote for write-ins takes away some of our options.

I also found that you are able to skip some of the issues. There was a school board race and a judgeship on my ballet that I'll admit I knew nothing about. Rather then vote simply for a name (as these posts don't show party affiliation), I just left them blank. I got a couple of warnings about the it at the end, but I just confirmed my abstention on those races, and was able to finish.

[Harkoliar]

I hear that 80% of the campaign ads were more of smearing campaign rather than "Vote me". gee..

[Harkoliar]

update looks like Democrats got what they wanted. Personally it would be a good thing to reign in President Bush.