Well I just wanted to share

[nadinbrzezinski]

there are many, many, many happy people in San Diego... PROP I passed, by huge margins. Workers are getting a raise (as soon as the election is certified) of 50 cents an hour, and a dollar more in January, They are also getting 5 days paid sick leave, annual sick leave. This was a like the talk of the town for Democrats... and many who were involved in that fight were all smiles yesterday... and that was what mattered to me as I pretended to cast a vote yesterday morning.

We will also have a story where we interviewed both a Trump Supporter (yes I need a shower, but not becuase I talked to one of them, just the 10 mile hike), and with a Clinton Supporter. I am sure you all are gonna love that photo I took of the Clinton Supporter, not the Trump Supporter, All I am going to say is, the contrast of why people are voting could not be more obvious. Oh and this Trump supporter, I know my luck, but speaks to commitment, came al the way from Indiana, Did I mention this was downtown San Diego. CALIFORNIA? I thought that was relevant.

I might add, that matters to the partisans among you not, me, this is now a blue county. And the city is definitely turing deep blue, not there yet, but... and we still have divided government.

And as to the effect of the AP announcement, yup, we felt it. The Registrar was predicting 55-60 percent turnout, Pretty much that is a presidential level turnout , We barely hit 50 percent. It was better than the usual 40-45 percent on a good primary, but... Whether that affected down ticker races, or not, is a good question, but one that should be considered. We know that in 1980 that happened I am sure a political scientists or two might take a look at this and how that was affected. But worst case a 10 point reduction in turnout is not something to sneeze at.

[stillwaiting]

1. Congratulations! I am very happy for you and all of the people of San Diego! nt

[Jennylynn]

2. 50 cents an hour? A dollar more in Jan.?

What in the world will they do with all of that money?

Seriously tho, I don't get it. That doesn't seem like a whole lot. What workers? I'm in Illinois.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Minimum wage

and actually I talked with a couple of the workers, plus the Center for Policy Initiative President, that means, literally more food on the table, or maybe a new pair of shoes, or not having to scrap so hard for the rent. It literally is huge when you make minimum wage, I hope their next campaign will be rent control, because I can see it now, The rent is going up.

[Jennylynn]

11. Thank you. That's just so damn sad. The times we live in but yet this is still happening.

Congratulations though. I'm very happy this will mean a little less worry.

[Duval]

3. Thank you, nadin.

Looking forward to the pictures and Anything Else you have to say, truly! Barely 50%? Sigh! Glad to hear the good news for the people in San Diego.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. You welcome

[Raster]

6. I eagerly await San Diego joining its sister Tucson as Arizona's two blue cities....

...Unfortunately, I am a resident of blood-red Maricopa County, and our only solace is that Sheriff Joe may finally get his FEDERAL come-to-Jesus moment.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. San Diego has been going Blue for 10 years

now the city it is a 2:1 ratio in party registration, the county is starting to edge out, I got the numbers from the head of the party, That is the big picture. Me, I am fine being NPP

[brush]

16. Would that other blue city in AZ be Flagstaff?

[Raster]

17. OK, three cities...

[brush]

20. What's the other besides Tucson and Flagstaff?

[Beacool]

35. You're in Maricopa County?

My condolences.

[Raster]

37. Yep. Arizona is a wonderful state, unfortunately the Teapublican crazies have quite the foothold.

Northern Arizona seems to sane and logical. Southern Arizona seems to be sane and logical. The middle swath of Arizona: Maricopa County is battshit crazy. Make no mistake, this is Trump country... it says so on their holsters.

[leftinportland]

8. Great outcome regarding minimum wage

and happy to see SD turning blue...hope some of that blueness rubs off in my old stomping grounds North of you. The impact of the AP announcement reeks of election manipulation...they should be relegated to the hallways at the the convention.

[LonePirate]

9. Congratulations on the big win for the people of San Diego

Wage and pay issues are strong issues that every Dem should support. They are winning issues because they are the right thing to do.

[PeaceNikki]

10. What do you mean you "pretended to cast a vote"? Why didn't you vote?

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Who I voted for is deteremined by who counts the votes

I am back in Mexico at 18, casting my first ballot. The difference is.. we knew it.

[PeaceNikki]

14. Ooooooooh, so you *did* vote? That's cool.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. No I pretended to vote

Like many locally, I believe we are truly wasting our time, but we are too stubborn to stop wasting our time, but we just pretend to vote. We do not expect it to count, See the difference. You believe your vote counts, I don't. But I am too stubborn to stop wasting my time. And anyway, I cover this this, so I already read all the initiatives and wrote about them... so might as well, pretend to vote.

[PeaceNikki]

21. I think it irresponsible to say such things without explicit, specific proof. ESPECIALLY as a

journalist.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. I think it is irresponsibly to continue to believe we have the best and cleanest system in the world

we don't You can take that with people like Greg Pallast,

It is not a conspiracy, we have serious issues. We even reported on some of what was observed, it is not new, the folks at Common Cause also agree.

The first step in fixing the issues is to stop pretending you don't have them. There are ares in the United States where electoral issues are far more serious than others, but we have issues nationwide. You either care about election integrity or you don't. This is hardly a partisan matter, but for partisans it is.

So locally many of us who came from Mexico, and recognize this for what it is, do not hide our heads in the sand, and we are back to our default positions. We are too stubborn to stop voting, but we still to overcome torta effects, nor do we expect our individual ballots to count. By the way, it accelerated after the VRA was gutted.

Election integrity advocates know there are issues with our elections, but they know that most Americans are too sleepy to realize this. Go talk to Common Cause, for example, they are far from partisan.

[PeaceNikki]

23. There's a large gap between "best/cleanest in the world" and "your vote doesn't count"

Like, the size of Wyoming

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. For you it might be that way

for me it is not... and that goes for a lot of our local advocates, who in private, tell people go vote, but... it might be that people here are in a very different thinking pattern than yours.

We know a dirty electoral system and grew in a place where you voted in spite of dirty elections.

And trust me, we saw some classics, of that this primary, Go take it again, with Common Cause. I was far from alone in seeing those issues. But I am not a partisan.

I will again pretend to vote in November, I am sure there will an issue that I need to overcome that torta effect once again. And will likely run an endorsement of voting, (not candidates), as well. We do not even share who we are pretending to vote for. And trust me we had our favorites, But we ain't sharing.

[msanthrope]

29. I am an election protection attorney every election. What privilege you have....

Being able to pretend to vote, when so many are denied the vote.

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. That is nice

So should I subvert my feelings to yours? Becuase that is what you are telling me.

That is the way I feel about US Elections anymore. They are far from clean, it is getting far dirtier, I really could care less what you think.

[msanthrope]

31. Again....you have the privilege to allow your hurt fee fees to self-justify your behavior.. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Whatever

If you do not want to hear that at least the perception is growing that the system is more corrupt, though I think Common Cause has pretty much documented it, that is up to you. I realize this is not a discussion you want to have, so feel free to have the absolute last word.

[randome]

24. Whoever said we have the 'best and cleanest' of anything?

There are problems during every election. There always will be. I'll go out on a limb here and say it is impossible to have a perfect system for nearly 200 million voters.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. I will go out on a limb and say that if you step down from that partisan

branch you will realize they are growing.

[randome]

32. "Partisan"? {facepalm again}

I'm 'partisan' because I acknowledged that Clinton pretty much had this in the bag months ago. I've openly said I don't even like her that much! I'd much rather someone younger, from a newer generation, would take the reins. I'm tired of old politicians running things.

But Clinton is clearly our next President. I don't see the problem with acknowledging reality.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Whatever kid

have the last word. For me this issue matters little about a particular politician. Sorry

[Raster]

38. Shit, go talk to Jimmy Carter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. True, but he is not a real democrat

Do I really need this And I forgot about that

[Raster]

40. Trust me, from this day forward, you need anything and everything to"clarify" your position...

[boston bean]

12. Thank goodness Hillary supporters got out and voted in such huge numbers!

[PeaceNikki]

15. Yup - we get shit done

[brush]

18. Yep, no hugh rallies, we just show up at the polls

Forgive me. I couln't resist just a little schadenfreude.

[merrily]

27. How could lower turnout not affect down ticket races?

You may be interested in this post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280210298

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Like 1980 it will take a couple years to disect.

though the effect was probably lower, since at least one third of the voters are permanently voting by mail.

[Beacool]

36. I'm glad that PROP I passed.

Congratulations!!