Dirty (Illegal?) Dealings in Ohio Governor's Race

Have you been watching the race for Governor in Ohio? John Kasich (R) is up at least ten points over Ted Strickland (D).

Large Democratic leaning counties have mailed ballots to all eligible voters and they're paying for return postage. Many counties aren't sending them out and / or aren't paying return postage.

Lawsuits are in motion.

It could be a tough case if counties in Ohio usually do their own thing when it comes to elections. Some counties won't be able to afford to pick up the tab for two-way mailing.

Four people have filed suit saying its unfair, pretty much "why should I have to pay or request a ballot when my neighbor across the street doesn't because he's in another county". I think one of the people filing is disabled and unable to get out to vote.

I'm just skimming articles, sharing the gist of what I'm reading urge you to do some more reading to get the details.

It seems sneaky, underhanded and to my way of thinking it should be illegal. No problems with disabled or those who are going out of town or whatever, getting an absentee ballot. However, I think if someone doesn't care enough to get an absentee ballot, they shouldn't vote, have that right handed to them on a silver platter.

Here are a few article links if you'd like to get more details and follow the issue:

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/09/05/copy/gop-resurgent.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/ohio-news/lawsuit-challenges-ohio-absentee-ballot-methods-896406.html?cxtype=rss_ohio-news

http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20100904/NEWS01/9040310/1002/Lawsuit-decries-Ohio-absentee-ballot-process

Looks like all the rest of the stories I'm finding are (AP) repeats...

Analyzing Numbers plus

I pulled the details from the primary election as soon as they were available after the election and did a mini-analysis. They ran fairly true to form for most of the past primary elections as to which areas turned out, although Peachtree City usually has a higher turnout.

One of the things I think we had working this election cycle was the fact that so many of the folks running were friends and had a very strong political machine. A large percentage have a lot of family in the county. They grew up here and have roots. They have school friends, family friends and they all stuck together. If I were in their shoes I'd have run my campaign pretty much the same way so don't take that as a criticism, it's just a fact.

In any election there's a ton of factors that factor into the outcome. I'm sure that some people weren't enthusiastic about the candidates. I just happen to think more flat out didn't care. It would be interesting to do a real survey to see how it actually broke down... I can speculate and so can others, but we don't really have any facts to back up any assertion we might make.

Run-off elections are lower typically and I expected them to be lower, but you have to admit 10% is pretty pathetic.

When Horgan won initially there were four or five candidates running. I think it was two Republicans and three Democrats. Voter turnout, if I'm remembering correctly, was 12%. Could have been a bit higher, numbers have never been my forte although I can remember the phone number we had when I was in the fourth grade for some reason! It was a special election and was held at an off-time, but it wasn't summer vacation time. The kids were in school. No excuses on that turnout.

Some of my candidates won, some lost. Even with a 90% turnout the outcome could have been the same. I don't know that it would have made a bit of difference, although it might have. I just think it's sad that good, bad or ugly candidates, so many were ignorant of who was running. This past weekend I talked to one person and my husband talked to another who didn't even know there was a run-off. If we can run across two people, how many others were there?

Time will tell whether my view of the future is going to be right or wrong. I've watched this cycle in other places, just seems so familiar. My parents lived in Clayton County (Morrow) when it was "Delta country".

My grandmother (who ultimately ended up in Tyrone), lived through Ben Hill's decline and the East Point decline.

I had good family friends who lived in the Old National Hwy. area when it was rural.

I know the circumstances are somewhat different, but the change from a Peachtree City / Tyrone type area to the current is clear. I do think there's a cycle.

My son lives in Tucker. It seems to possibly be moving toward a higher cycle after going into an apathy slump.

I haven't been over there recently but the area around Zoo went down and now has become a desirable area (or so my friends are telling me).

I think we have a long ways to go and maybe people will open their eyes, get involved and we'll stay the shining jewel of Georgia. Over the years though I've been right-on the money when I've made my predictions regarding the best time to move from areas. I hope I'm wrong this time, I hope that being closer to this situation is clouding my vision. I love this county, I love the beauty, the people and what we have. My son is in his 30's and we moved here when he was going into the first grade... I've been here a long time and seen many changes.

I hope people will wake up, get involved, let their voices be heard. I know the level of involvement we used to have. We've had good people in office, dull people in office and downright bad people in office over the years.

Change is inevitable. I just think with good stewardship we can avoid some of the pitfalls. We can still be the shining star. I don't happen to agree with a large chunk of what's happening now and firmly believe we're headed in the wrong direction. I don't expect everyone to see eye-to-eye with me, but if people are involved, even when they have different views, it sure does make it harder for the wrong kind of things to slip through.

I think I've jumped from one topic to another this go around, not even sure if it flows at all. Just rambling from one subject to the next. It's a blog. I guess I can get away with it .

Apathy Times Ten...

10.33% of those registered made the minimal effort to cast their vote in the run-off election. That's 10.33% of those in the county who are registered to vote (roughly 68,000), not 10.33% of the total population.

Since there were two candidates in each of the local races, that means that somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 people decided who won (5857 total votes in the Commission race, a little over half of that number voted for the winner).

In the primary election we have a bit over a quarter of the eligible voters show up. Divide that number in half (real broadly) and you have the number of voters who decided the future of the county.

Doesn't matter whether we had good candidates, bad candidates, good issues, bad issues, Republicans, Democrats... no excuses.

Everywhere I go these days I hear "voter apathy". I have made it a point to talk to as many people as I possibly could over the past weeks about their voting (or lack thereof).

People truly just don't seem to care. They don't seem to think their vote is important. They don't know the issues. They can't tell me who their County Commissioners are. They don't know the difference between the County Commission and the City Council. They don't understand the difference between the Fayetteville or Peachtree City police and the Sheriff. As much as various issues have been highlighted in the papers, they aren't aware (most say they don't even open the free papers tossed on their driveways!).

Do I sound frustrated? I am.

I know my favorite commenter is going to have an opinion (thank you, I do appreciate our "discussions" & understand the need for anonymity). I respectfully disagree with him (I assume ;-) on there not being much of a difference between the candidates. I do think the Defined Benefits and the employee raises were important. They are going to cost us bunches down the road. Of course, the guys (and they are all guys ;-) who're in office voting for these things won't be in office when the bill comes due. Someone down the road is going to have to make some tough, tough decisions regarding taxes at some point and they, not the ones in office now, will be the ones who are blamed.

I think there were some strong character differences between the candidates. But then again, I go to the meetings, I see the decisions and actions. I know all of the candidates who ran. I don't expect everyone to follow my lead and go to the meetings or be this involved. It's just impossible for most. But there is enough information out there for those who truly care. Everyone could attend a forum (there were tons of them). They could have visited websites, watched the videos on-line, read the answers in the papers (although I know for a fact that many of the candidates didn't write their own answers so that's not really a good indicator), etc.

I think we've crossed a line in these past few years that will completely change the direction the county goes. I think there will be a point were we look back on this broad time period and realize that this was the turning point.

One more point that I probably should find a place to stick above but won't ... I've been around long enough to see many elections in the county. We've had candidates in the past who were almost like clones, with no major issues, and had higher voter turnout than we've had in recent years.

I think it's a sad statement when so few people can dictate the direction a county of 112,000* goes.

*not sure of the number, just know I've heard that tossed out as where we are... we're over 100,000

Voter Apathy

Once again voter turnout in Fayette County was... well, pathetic. Close to 75% of the registered voters in the county didn't bother to vote. With all the options available these days there is simply no excuse other than apathy. Early voting was available in Tyrone, Peachtree City and Fayetteville. Absentee voting is easier than it ever has been. The polls were open from 7 in the morning until 7 at night on the 15th.

I don't know that the end result would have been any different if 100% of the voters had turned out. The end result isn't the point of this diatribe.

In the past Fayette County has been known for the involvement of its voting population. We've always had high turnout. However, in the last 3 elections we've had extremely poor voter participation.

When the citizens stop voting I see it as a sign that the county is headed in the wrong direction. When people who should care about what their elected officials are doing stop being involved, stop voting, then special interests take over. When no one cares enough to watch those who are directing the future of the county, deals are made, corners are cut and ultimately the citizens wake up and wonder what happened to their once-great way of life.

A large number of people moved to the county in recent years to get away from what they perceived as less-than-stellar living conditions. They chose Fayette County because of its great schools and great quality of life.

Read the newspapers. Our way of life is going quickly by the wayside. When I moved here my son was entering the first grade. Life was great, peaceful, no crime to speak of aside from the occasional kid prank.

Now? I hear from the Fayetteville police that they won't let their wives shop alone in the Pavilion. I hear from my now-closed favorite restaurant that the store next to them was robbed at gun point three time in the past year or so. I read about robberies and mayhem. We're being pressured to allow more multi-family housing. Old farms are being sold to developers. Fayetteville is building like there's no tomorrow. Big boxes are the norm. Large empty buildings dot the roads while new buildings are going up. I could go on and on.

We're becoming just like those places many left. And yet almost 75% of those who could make a difference can't be bothered to take the time to find out who's running for office and go to the polls.

I've been writing about this each election and it doesn't make a bit of difference. The only people who read this are the ones who agree and vote. Those who don't vote won't make it past the first paragraph, if they make it past the title.

It's a shame. And it's a sad thing for a once-great county that may just be on the other side of its prime. I still think it's not too late to change the county and save it. We just need more people who care enough to get involved.

Do you need to do anything special to vote Feb. 7th?

Due to the change in the way the Presidential Primary is being held in Georgia, a few people have asked if there's anything special they need to do to vote.

Short answer: No.

Although we'll be going to the polls to vote for our choice for the Presidential candidate for our respective parties earlier and separately from other elections, this is basically just like any other election.

If you're already registered and have voted in the county where you're living, you'll just need to bring your I.D. and vote as normal. If you're registered but haven't voted in umpteen years, it never hurts to double check with the county's Election office to make sure nothing is amiss. I have heard tales of people showing up to vote after years of inactivity only to find there was a glitch of some sort. Problems are rare, but I'd rather know in advance and have the chance to fix whatever might be wrong rather than show up to vote and get irritated at the poll workers.

Here's where to go to if you have any questions or want to check on your voter status:

Board of Elections & Voter Registration
Stonewall Administrative Complex
140 Stonewall Avenue West
Suite 208
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Telephone: 770.460.5730 Ext. 5408
Email: elections@fayettecountyga.gov
Hours: 8 am - 5 pm M-F

If you've recently moved, or moved a while back but haven't notified the local board of your move, here's the general rules:

- Voters are required to notify the board of registrars of their county of residence whenever they move.
- If you move within the same county in which you are registered to vote and don't
notify the registrar at least 30 days prior to an election, you may vote in your
old polling place for that election. You must file a notice of your new address.
This can be done by writing your county board of registrars' office, or by
submitting a new voter registration application.
- If you move outside the county in which you are registered to vote within 30 days of an election, you may vote in your old precinct for that election.
- If you move outside the county in which you are registered to vote in excess of 30 days prior to an election, you have lost your eligibility to vote in the county of your old residence. You must register to vote in your new county of residence. If you
don't register to vote by the deadline, you cannot vote in that particular
election.

Here's where you can register to vote:

- Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety Driver's Services
- Department of Human Resources' Public Assistance Offices (WICS, DFACS, Rehab)
- Public Libraries
- Recruitment Offices
- County courthouses and city halls
- Elections and Voter Registration Office
- Colleges and high schools for students and personnel

To find out where you should vote go the Secretary of State's Poll Locator: http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/locator.asp

Thanks for the questions, both on the blog and via email! Glad you're involved.

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Here's part of a press release sent out by Secretary of State Karen Handel regarding the upcoming election:

To register to vote in Georgia, you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you wish to vote, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. You may not register to vote if you are currently serving any sentence imposed by the conviction of a felony or judicially determined to be mentally incompetent.

You can download and complete a voter registration application by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.georgia.gov/elections. You can also contact your local county registrars' office, public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, schools and other government offices for a mail-in registration form. Voter Registration is offered when renewing or applying for a driver's license at any Georgia Department of Driver Services office. College students can obtain Georgia voter registration forms from their school registrar's office or from the office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Secretary Handel also reminds voters that Georgia law requires registered voters to show photo identification when voting in person. This photo identification requirement applies in the February 5 Presidential Preference Primary and all future elections. When voting absentee by mail, photo identification is not required.
Voters casting ballots in person, either through early voting or on Election Day, will be required to show one of the following forms of acceptable photo ID when they vote:

§ A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
§ Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
§ Valid U.S. passport;
§ Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
§ Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
§ Valid tribal photo ID.
Voters who do not have a form of identification listed above are eligible to receive a FREE Georgia Voter ID from their county elections office.

Voters who have questions are encouraged to call the Georgia Secretary of State’s Voter ID Hotline at (877) 725-9797 or visit our website at www.GaPhotoID.com.

Voter Registration for Presidential Primary is January 7th

The last day to register for an election in Georiga is thirty days prior to an election day. If you're planning to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary on February 5th the deadline to register to vote is Monday, January 7th.

This is an extremely important election for Georgia and for the entire country. It's easy to register. If you need help finding where to go, how to do it, etc. zap a comment and I'll put up some info for everyone.

Assorted stuff on elections...

I harp on this one every election (other than Presidential), but as always, turn out was poor. So few are involved in shaping the future of the community they chose to call home.

Al Hovey-King won in Fayetteville by six votes. A challenge has been filed.

Eric Dial won in Tyrone. He's being attacked. I would have like to see a more decisive election result (as I'm sure he would). However, the rules in Tyrone are what they are. He won. Give him a chance. Like him or not, the way the political power is now working in Tyrone his vote will not be a swing vote anyway so I'm wondering what's the big deal?

I've known Eric for many years. He's a good guy and he's sharp. He's going to get involved and I think if given a fair chance he'll surprise some who're attacking him right now. I've also known Gordon Shenkle for a long time. I think Gordon would have done a great job, too.

There's a run-off in Peachtree City. December 4th. Bet the turnout on that one is tiny. Run off elections are a bear. It doesn't matter who had the highest number of votes in the main election. In fact, being tops can hurt. I'll write a blog about run-offs sometime just in case there's one or two readers who're interested .