$12.50 a vote

[silverlib]

Yea - that's what our tax dollars went to in Austin Precinct 356. Answering the call for for precinct workers, I volunteered outside my precinct that was covered and missed my own precinct meeting to sit for 12 1/2 hours and watch 43 people vote. (27 Democrats and 16 Republicans). Right now, I'm feeling like I was in the wrong place. Neither the Republicans or the Democrats had anyone show for a precinct meeting. Why did I do this? So precincts wouldn't be joined at the last minute and voters would know where to go to vote. The money I made will go to some candidate - I already lost money because my job is paid by production and I had to give the work away to do this.

Was it the Kinky and four names petition that kept people home? Maybe some, but I think we just have too many damned elections and the apathy is a direct result of this. Our candidates worked hard and they deserve more than this. Do the taxpayers know how much it cost when they don't show up to vote? I doubt it. If they knew, would they show up?

[crispini]

1. I agree.

This is something I'm interested in-- voter apathy. Maybe sometime when I am less tired I will come back and post my thoughts in this thread. I think Kinky and C4N didn't help with voter turnout but even if they had not been there I think turnout would have been low.

[silverlib]

3. I look forward to reading your thoughts on this...

There are many reasons for apathy. We need to look at them and fix the ones we can, as a party and a nation.

[NoPasaran]

2. The cynic in me makes me think

That if taxpayers realized what it costs when they don't show up to vote they would choose to not have elections---of course how they would express that is a bit of a conundrum.

[silverlib]

4. I agree...

I'm usually an optimist, and this is really a scary thought. And I also agree with your thread about Gene Kelly! Good grief, I thought most voters were too young to get the name recognition, but I guess not.

[Czolgosz]

5. I think the low turnout was due to the lack of TV-commercial fueled races

for our party nomination for any statewide races. In the senate race, BAR wisely kept her powder dry as she beat a "familiar name" campaign without running statewide TV (and I think the run off is not a bad thing -- it is 30 days more free campaign coverage and will be followed by another victory party after she wins the run off), and in the governor race, neither Gammage nor Bell raised enough money to run statewide TV. Our down-ballot races were nearly invisible (excluding DVO's great campaign because he was unopposed in the primary).

We should all commend DVO's campaign -- that guy is campaigning harder that anyone (BAR's a close second) and he wasn't even opposed in the primary!

[sonias]

6. I'll second that applause for David

He is running hard.

I think from now on, it's the battle of the petitions. Will both the Stinky Kinky and Carole 4Names make it to the ballot. We should send Stinky Kinky some free booze from now until May so that he'll forget why the heck he's even considering a run.

Sonia

[Czolgosz]

7. I'm wondering if I should get a 4n3p petition before everyone I know

didn't vote and who isn't likely to vote in the run off. It's not that I like or dislike 4n3p, I just think Kinky is sheep in wolves clothing because he gives people the false idea he's an independent when, in truth, he's just another Bush/Cheney'04 voter.

[NoPasaran]

8. From reading the traviscounty4stinky on the web

It sounds like their petition drive is getting off to a disorganized start, aliugh they'll probably get things in shape as they go along. I did have an evil thought---no one should go to kinky's website, print out petitions for yourself, and collect signatures to throw away. That would be wrong. So please, please, please DON'T DO IT!

[sonias]

9. Here's a more evil plan, that I don't recommend either

Download both petitions and collect signatures for both candidates from the same person. In other words have the people you know didn't vote sign both petitions. That way Stinky Kinky and Carole 4Names both, have valid signatures of voters who did not vote. However, the signatures will be disqualified because a person can't sign both petitions legally. May throw a big kink in their drives. It's easy to convince voters to sign both petitions, allowing both candidates on the ballot in Nov. Most people wouldn't even blink.

Although truthfully if the candidates are serious about it, like Carole 4Names is, she's going to collect 60,000 -70,000 signatures to make sure disqualifications won't keep her off the ballot.

I know someone who is signing both petitions to see what really happens with her signature.

Sonia

[NoPasaran]

10. Yes, it would just be awful if people did that!

And it would be even more wrong if those of us who did vote in the primary were to sign those petitions too! I should probably go to Confession just for having such an impure thought!

[MagickMuffin]

11. I would urge your friend NOT to do this,

because what if there is a legal penalty for this and they would be charged with a crime.

Yikes, wouldn't know if there is such a law out there, I'm almost certain there probably is, but what is the punishment, a fine?, jail time?, revoke voter registration?

I don't think I would be willing to risk it to find out!