It wasn’t surprising that few people voted Tuesday, because there were few competitive races. Still, it’s discouraging and embarrassing that only 9 percent of registered voters in Sedgwick County cast ballots, given all the important issues and challenges facing this community.
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25 Comments
Lack of voter turnout might have been due to minimal coverage by Wichita’s newspapers and TV stations. I did talk to people who didn’t know Tuesday was local non-partisan elections day.
In my contacts more people didn’t realize it was election day or didn’t know there was an election than those that voted. Hard for me to understand with all the mailers, phone calls and door knocking. I don’t own a TV but I thought the Eagle had a lot of stories.
“Hey, I’ve got a great idea!”
“What is it?”
“Let’s hold the election right before tax day, when everyone’s frantically trying to get their returns done.”
“Hey, great idea! That’ll guarantee a really high turnout.”
Riiiight.
Elections belong in November. Case closed.
I voted.
CONs purposefully hope to suppress voter turnout.
CONs purposefully hope to suppress voter turnout.
And again, of course you wouldn’t make such a stark claim unless you could back it up. You do of course have links that show how/where conservatives attempted to lessen voter turn out for this election. You must or you wouldn’t make such baseless claims.
Unless you lived in one of the contested City districts there almost was no election. I found very little coverage of Goddard school board and the positions the candidates there had on issues facing the district.
I had a few telephone calls from prospective City Council members to remind me to vote. I went early enough, because it’s usually sparse in voters – guess that lasted all day.
The Election Commissioner’s office needs to figure out a way to ‘jazz up’ these local non-partisan elections. Maybe they could give away door prizes or have candidates spend time in the dunk tank and allow every third voter a shot at putting them into the water or something.
Does anybody else have any ideas for generating interest?
The people will get the government that they deserve.
To clarify my point. I understand that I often blame media, education, and the like for our problems. It is true, they help to perpetuate the doupoly power that resides in Washington.
But…
It is ultimately our faults as citizens. We were given a Republic and could not keep it. It has turned into a Democracy where the fate of our country is decided by the majority and nothing more.
Until people start getting interested and having a concern, we will fall further and further into the rat hole.
WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama declined to answer reporters’ questions on Thursday on a hostage crisis off the coast of Somalia, where a U.S. ship captain is being held captive by pirates.
Obama was asked to comment on the situation several times by reporters at a White House event on refinancing for homeowners. Obama, however, stuck closely to the script and replied that he wanted to remain focused on housing.
——————-
Is this a new way to say ‘not present’?
Move them to November, but keep them in odd-numbered years. Door-to-door campaigning, the life-blood of local elections, is almost impossible in January, February and March. There’s not enough daylight hours and it’s either bitter cold and blowing or bitter cold and raining or just bitter cold.
okobserver
Posted April 9, 2009 at 10:56 am | Permalink
Is this a new way to say ‘not present’?
______________________________________
Ok, this is an ongoing situation. Probably best if Obama doesn’t discuss it with the press, don’t you think?
You could be right X but a comment of some kind with no directive or plan of action would have been nice. Telling the perpetrators that we didn’t brook these actions against Americans and we are still a nation to be reckoned with.
BTW I posted this on the wrong thread and moved it to the open thread.
I don’t understand how people could not know there was an election….I got at least 2 pieces of political junk in the mail every day for a week…..The City Council is sending YOUR tax dollars….Pay Attention!
There are too few polling places. This is discriminatory against the poor who might have to walk a long distance or take a bus in order to vote. Too, many polling places (like mine) are in churches. Meaning no disrespect but there are people who are not comfortable going into a church.
Schools should be used as polling places. They are more local to the voters and the students could be involved in helping out with election day activities thus encouraging their own civic involvement.
Precinct 124: 1 person voted.
Precinct 127: 3 people voted.
You get the government you deserve.
#
mrcontroversy
Posted April 9, 2009 at 1:06 pm | Permalink
Precinct 124: 1 person voted.
Precinct 127: 3 people voted.
You get the government you deserve.
=======================
Every vote does count!
Especially in Precinct 124! :D
If you are content with the person in the job, or if you know the person you like is a shoe-in, what’s the big deal about not voting? I’m an avid voter, have been since I was 18, even voted absentee when I was in the Army in Germany, but if there isn’t anything particularly pressing to vote on, I don’t feel guilty if I give it a miss.
Dennis
I agreewith aldenrw — hold election in Nov. with other elections.
Problem solved. Case closed. Move on.
mh posted early this morning:
CONs purposefully hope to suppress voter turnout.
Sol asked for some backup/links/proof of such a ridiculous, hateful claim. Been several hours now, and nothing. Not one shred of proof for that fable.
Is ‘embarrassing’ modifying ‘voter’ or ‘turnout’?
“CONs purposefully hope to suppress voter turnout.
Sol asked for some backup/links/proof of such a ridiculous, hateful claim. ”
Hello?
I posted about the reduction in polling places and how that affects the poor. I do believe it was a Republican election commissioner was responsible for cutting the number of polling places was it not?
bj..you need to do your homework. The polling places that were closed were not ADA acceptable.
Try again with your conspiracy theory.