If you didn’t know, this is the season for swearing; five last Monday in Chapel Hill, four last Tuesday in Carrboro, and four Thursday at the School Board meeting. That’s a lot of swearing and it was good swearing resulting from voters going to the polls and doing their civic duty. Some might tell you that your one vote doesn’t really matter; I say it does matter. In the Chapel Hill vote, candidate four and number five were separated by only 60 votes.
Yes, voting matters and I wish more of us participated in selecting those who will work untiringly as they lead our municipal governments and school system. Let’s commend all who ran and all of those who have served for their willingness to work hard to us and make the sacrifices that comes with service. As one council member made clear the other night, their families also serve and sacrifice.
Our communities and schools face all sorts of challenges that will determine our future. We citizens need to participate in the process and let our elected officials know our thoughts and concerns before decisions are made and not just complain after the decisions are made.
Given their commitment to us, it’s the least we can do.
Showing posts with label Election 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election 2007. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
CHAPEL HILL ELECTION 2007 — IT’S OVER (FINALLY)!
The Orange County Board of Elections denied Cam Hill’s request for a recount so the Chapel Hill municipal election is officially certified. I really think this was a very interesting election not for what happened but rather for what didn’t happen, and that is having a “real” campaign with candidates debating the various issues that voters might use in making their voting decisions.
Yes, we had plenty of forums and many things were said, but try this as a test: ask a friend what the top five issues were that separated the candidates. I suspect you will get pretty much the same reaction that I have gotten every time that I have asked that question: a blank stare!
Here’s my take on what we had in Chapel Hill. Instead of something that I will call “simple incumbency,” where a candidate runs on his or her record against a field of challengers and the other incumbents for the four seats, we had “SUPER INCUMBENCY.” Super incumbency is when all five of the current holders of the seats are seeking reelection AND they decide to “run together” against all challengers.
It’s a good thing that those who have served want to continue to serve, and I absolutely have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with is when the five individuals who occupy the five seats appear to have agreed to a mutually beneficial campaign strategy, one that appears to diminish our ability to have a real debate or even a discussion of the issues. Diversity of opinion is a good thing, and we ought to be able to disagree without being disagreeable.
The fact that Matt Czajkowski did come in fourth says a lot about his ability to get his message out to voters while the five “SUPER INCUMBENTS” seemed to want only to talk about their past service and how they worked so well together in atypical harmony. In affirmation of their strategy, Mayor Kevin Foy sent out pre-election “robocalls” to voters asking them to reelect him (no problem with that, and I voted for him!) AND the other four incumbents.
Someone asked me why this troubled me and I told them it was because I would have preferred that the mayor have remained above the fray. He has to lead the council that the voters put in office. When a non-incumbent wins (as just happened), what’s the message to the victor? The “outsider” knows for sure that the mayor didn’t want him to win, but those few who bothered to vote obviously did. Yes, 2,932 gave the winner their vote and in the context of an election where only 15% of us bothered to vote, 13.74% of the Council vote is important.
Look at the results as certified by the BoE:
CANDIDATE/Votes/%
Matt Czajkowski (4th)/2,932/13.74%
Sally Greene (I, 2nd)/3,917/18.36%
Cam Hill (I, 5)/2,872/13.46%
Will Raymond (7th)/1,409/6.60%
Penny Rich (6th)/2,442/11.44%
Bill Strom (I, 3d)/3,735/17.50%
Jim Ward (I, 1st)/3,929/18.41%
Write-In (multiple)/102/0.48%
Does it mean anything that a candidate can win the fourth seat with under 3,000 votes?
In the mayor’s race, the results were:
Candidate/Votes/%
Kevin C. Foy /4,333/70.17%
Kevin Wolff/1,803/29.20%
Write-In/39/0.63%
What’s interesting is that if we assume that everyone who voted for a council member also voted for mayor, but all who voted for mayor didn’t use all four of their council votes, it might explain some things. According to the BoE’s data, 6,175 voters cast mayoral votes. If all had voted for four council candidates, the number is 24,700. The total council votes were 21,338. The 3,362 “missing votes” suggests that more than a few voters chose to vote for only one, two, or three council candidates. Of course, the assumption is key, as there are probably people who did vote for the Council and not the mayor, but I think the pattern is obvious.
I wish all of the victors well as they work hard serving us during their term of office. I’m also sure that Mayor Foy and the other incumbents will be welcoming and treat Matt Czajkowski as he should be treated, but I wish I didn’t have to wonder about how he would be treated in the first place. I also wish the “SUPER INCUMBENTS” along with the four challengers had shown where and how they differed on policy. In addition, and most importantly, I wish they had spent more time talking about our future and the issues that face us.
What do you think? I’d really like your feedback on this.
Yes, we had plenty of forums and many things were said, but try this as a test: ask a friend what the top five issues were that separated the candidates. I suspect you will get pretty much the same reaction that I have gotten every time that I have asked that question: a blank stare!
Here’s my take on what we had in Chapel Hill. Instead of something that I will call “simple incumbency,” where a candidate runs on his or her record against a field of challengers and the other incumbents for the four seats, we had “SUPER INCUMBENCY.” Super incumbency is when all five of the current holders of the seats are seeking reelection AND they decide to “run together” against all challengers.
It’s a good thing that those who have served want to continue to serve, and I absolutely have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with is when the five individuals who occupy the five seats appear to have agreed to a mutually beneficial campaign strategy, one that appears to diminish our ability to have a real debate or even a discussion of the issues. Diversity of opinion is a good thing, and we ought to be able to disagree without being disagreeable.
The fact that Matt Czajkowski did come in fourth says a lot about his ability to get his message out to voters while the five “SUPER INCUMBENTS” seemed to want only to talk about their past service and how they worked so well together in atypical harmony. In affirmation of their strategy, Mayor Kevin Foy sent out pre-election “robocalls” to voters asking them to reelect him (no problem with that, and I voted for him!) AND the other four incumbents.
Someone asked me why this troubled me and I told them it was because I would have preferred that the mayor have remained above the fray. He has to lead the council that the voters put in office. When a non-incumbent wins (as just happened), what’s the message to the victor? The “outsider” knows for sure that the mayor didn’t want him to win, but those few who bothered to vote obviously did. Yes, 2,932 gave the winner their vote and in the context of an election where only 15% of us bothered to vote, 13.74% of the Council vote is important.
Look at the results as certified by the BoE:
CANDIDATE/Votes/%
Matt Czajkowski (4th)/2,932/13.74%
Sally Greene (I, 2nd)/3,917/18.36%
Cam Hill (I, 5)/2,872/13.46%
Will Raymond (7th)/1,409/6.60%
Penny Rich (6th)/2,442/11.44%
Bill Strom (I, 3d)/3,735/17.50%
Jim Ward (I, 1st)/3,929/18.41%
Write-In (multiple)/102/0.48%
Does it mean anything that a candidate can win the fourth seat with under 3,000 votes?
In the mayor’s race, the results were:
Candidate/Votes/%
Kevin C. Foy /4,333/70.17%
Kevin Wolff/1,803/29.20%
Write-In/39/0.63%
What’s interesting is that if we assume that everyone who voted for a council member also voted for mayor, but all who voted for mayor didn’t use all four of their council votes, it might explain some things. According to the BoE’s data, 6,175 voters cast mayoral votes. If all had voted for four council candidates, the number is 24,700. The total council votes were 21,338. The 3,362 “missing votes” suggests that more than a few voters chose to vote for only one, two, or three council candidates. Of course, the assumption is key, as there are probably people who did vote for the Council and not the mayor, but I think the pattern is obvious.
I wish all of the victors well as they work hard serving us during their term of office. I’m also sure that Mayor Foy and the other incumbents will be welcoming and treat Matt Czajkowski as he should be treated, but I wish I didn’t have to wonder about how he would be treated in the first place. I also wish the “SUPER INCUMBENTS” along with the four challengers had shown where and how they differed on policy. In addition, and most importantly, I wish they had spent more time talking about our future and the issues that face us.
What do you think? I’d really like your feedback on this.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
VOTING COMMENTARY (WCHL Oct. 16, 2007)
VOTE TIME
Do you know the secret? There are signs at almost every intersection that serve as a hint! Yes, we have an election on November 6th. It’s a municipal election this year for the Chapel Hill Town Council, the Carrboro Board of Alderman, and the School Board. We may not be electing our president, governor, US Senators or representatives, but this is an important election – simply because all elections are!
The regular registration period is over but you can still register during Same-Day Registration at the One-Stop No Excuse Absentee Voting Sites that are operational in Hillsborough beginning 18 October and in the downtown Chapel Hill Post Office and the Carrboro Town Hall beginning October 22. Early voting ends at all of the sites on Saturday, November 3rd, at 1pm.
I hope citizens will get informed about the various candidates and where they stand on the important issues. There have been numerous election forums that are now available online for review, and they can provide a lot of information. Get prepared and then vote early or on Election Day on November 6th.
In the 2005 election, our turnout was about 15%. We ought to be troubled that so few citizens participate. If we don’t vote, our voice isn’t heard. Will it be heard when we complain about what the elected bodies chosen by others do or don’t do?
Do you know the secret? There are signs at almost every intersection that serve as a hint! Yes, we have an election on November 6th. It’s a municipal election this year for the Chapel Hill Town Council, the Carrboro Board of Alderman, and the School Board. We may not be electing our president, governor, US Senators or representatives, but this is an important election – simply because all elections are!
The regular registration period is over but you can still register during Same-Day Registration at the One-Stop No Excuse Absentee Voting Sites that are operational in Hillsborough beginning 18 October and in the downtown Chapel Hill Post Office and the Carrboro Town Hall beginning October 22. Early voting ends at all of the sites on Saturday, November 3rd, at 1pm.
I hope citizens will get informed about the various candidates and where they stand on the important issues. There have been numerous election forums that are now available online for review, and they can provide a lot of information. Get prepared and then vote early or on Election Day on November 6th.
In the 2005 election, our turnout was about 15%. We ought to be troubled that so few citizens participate. If we don’t vote, our voice isn’t heard. Will it be heard when we complain about what the elected bodies chosen by others do or don’t do?
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
ELECTION FORUM SCHEDULE
There are two forums scheduled in October on back-to-back evenings.
The Chapel Hill town candidates forum is Oct. 9 at Hargraves center and the Carrboro candidates forum is Oct. 10 at town hall.
Both are sponsored by the Chamber, EmPOWERment, WCHL and CAN. WCHL will broadcast and have the podcast available for later listening on their site, http://www.wchl1360.com/
The Chapel Hill town candidates forum is Oct. 9 at Hargraves center and the Carrboro candidates forum is Oct. 10 at town hall.
Both are sponsored by the Chamber, EmPOWERment, WCHL and CAN. WCHL will broadcast and have the podcast available for later listening on their site, http://www.wchl1360.com/
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