Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Elections
Today is the Democratic primary for the upcoming general elections for New York City's elected posts. I am a registered Democrat, and I voted.
I am far in the minority. Normally I vote early. It's in my make-up. I grew up in Chicago, where we are told to 'vote early and often.' Today after the morning dog walk I had to rush to work and nearly forgot to vote, until I was on the evening dog walk and was reminded by someone passing out fliers, dutifully a respectful distance from a polling place.
I had until 9:00pm to get to the public school that houses my neighborhood polling place. Although there was only a half-hour to go when I arrived, there was no line. No latecomers clamoring to make it on time before the polls closed.
I stopped at the check-in desk. I was ballot number 61. There are six names and addresses to each page of sign-ins. There are 71 pages of registered Democrats in my precinct. Less than one sixth would show up to vote in the primary in my precinct. That is beyond appalling.
I know it's a virtual slam-dunk that Mayor Bloomberg will be re-elcted unless he has a colossal crash and burn in the next month and a half, but there are other races to be decided.
So now the newsies will bleat on about the great wheel of democracy. Is it really a democracy when the winner gets half of one sixth of the registered vote? I can hear the cheers now-
"YIPEE!!! I'M THE LANDSLIDE WINNER!!! I GOT ONE TWELFTH OF THE VOTE!!!"
And the broadcasters will debate if one twelfth is a mandate for change. There will be a different list of names that get to award no-bid contracts to their relatives and friends.
I know that the general election will get a bigger turnout, but by how much more? When it's just the city elections and the top spot is practically unopposed? Nobody cares who the District Attorney is, or the city Comptroller, or the Public Advocate, and truly how many care who their councilman is? It's a short list.
It is said in many places that democracy and government is decided by those who show up. I show up. Me and maybe a hundred others. Do you trust me to make all your decisions for you? For the future of your community and how it will be run? Of course you do. You already did.
I am far in the minority. Normally I vote early. It's in my make-up. I grew up in Chicago, where we are told to 'vote early and often.' Today after the morning dog walk I had to rush to work and nearly forgot to vote, until I was on the evening dog walk and was reminded by someone passing out fliers, dutifully a respectful distance from a polling place.
I had until 9:00pm to get to the public school that houses my neighborhood polling place. Although there was only a half-hour to go when I arrived, there was no line. No latecomers clamoring to make it on time before the polls closed.
I stopped at the check-in desk. I was ballot number 61. There are six names and addresses to each page of sign-ins. There are 71 pages of registered Democrats in my precinct. Less than one sixth would show up to vote in the primary in my precinct. That is beyond appalling.
I know it's a virtual slam-dunk that Mayor Bloomberg will be re-elcted unless he has a colossal crash and burn in the next month and a half, but there are other races to be decided.
So now the newsies will bleat on about the great wheel of democracy. Is it really a democracy when the winner gets half of one sixth of the registered vote? I can hear the cheers now-
"YIPEE!!! I'M THE LANDSLIDE WINNER!!! I GOT ONE TWELFTH OF THE VOTE!!!"
And the broadcasters will debate if one twelfth is a mandate for change. There will be a different list of names that get to award no-bid contracts to their relatives and friends.
I know that the general election will get a bigger turnout, but by how much more? When it's just the city elections and the top spot is practically unopposed? Nobody cares who the District Attorney is, or the city Comptroller, or the Public Advocate, and truly how many care who their councilman is? It's a short list.
It is said in many places that democracy and government is decided by those who show up. I show up. Me and maybe a hundred others. Do you trust me to make all your decisions for you? For the future of your community and how it will be run? Of course you do. You already did.
