Skip to content

Tag: Voting

Oh Crap, I Have to Vote Tomorrow

Published by Editor B on Friday, 3 October 2008

Now that we’ve gone back to closed primaries in this state, I was under the impression that there would be nothing on the ballot for me tomorrow. I’m pretty sure that I cannot participate in the high-profile Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District. I believe the Democrats let independents vote in their primaries, but I’m not independent; I’m registered Green. I just assumed everything on the ballot was primary stuff, so I haven’t been paying much attention.

Frankly I was happy with that situation. Voting is the least effective means of civic participation. It’s a duty, and kind of a pain, so I was glad to be sitting on the sidelines for this one.

But it turns out there’s a bunch of stuff on the ballot that I can vote for. Or at least I think I can. The Secretary of State’s sample ballots unfortunately don’t account for party affiliation. I guess I won’t really know what I can vote for until I get in the booth.

There’s six judges and a magistrate on the ballot. There’s also the District Attorney and our district seat on the school board. I don’t understand why there is no primary for these races, but it looks like there isn’t. I am open to any and all voting advice.

There are also two propositions, a bond issue and a charter amendment. The amendment would fund the office of the Inspector General. I’m definitely voting for that.

Continue readingOh Crap, I Have to Vote Tomorrow

Voting Philosophy

Published by Editor B on Friday, 19 October 2007

My voting philosophy is pretty simple. Here are my general rules:

  1. Vote against the incumbent, if there is one.
  2. Don’t vote for a candidate of either of the two major entrenched parties.

These are not rigid by any means. I’ll make an exception if I believe in a particular candidate or if some other calculus suggests itself.

Of course, following these rules often means voting for someone I don’t know too much about, or voting for someone who has values that are antithetical to my own. But I’m OK with that. These candidates usually don’t have a prayer of winning anyway.

For the record, I don’t consider voting for a no-chance candidate to be “throwing my vote away.” It’s a protest vote. This is not a frivolous choice. Given the current state of affairs, I think protest is the only rational approach. When the top contenders do not inspire, there’s no other way to express one’s displeasure. I wish we had a “None of the Above” option in many cases.

If I follow those rules tomorrow, I might vote like this:

Continue readingVoting Philosophy

How I’m Voting

Published by Editor B on Friday, 21 April 2006

I’m deeply conflicted about electoral politics. I participate, and I vote, but I’m skeptical of the whole process, and it frustrates me.

I’m edumacated. I’ve studied up on tomorrow’s election. But I can’t say I’ve got any confidence in the decisions I will be making in the booth.

And if it’s hard for me, who enjoys so many advantages, how hard is it for someone who is under the heel of poverty or displaced from the only home they’ve ever known? What about someone who is functionally illiterate? The harsh fact is that’s where a lot of New Orleanians are at. They should be able to have a voice in this election too.

It is a charade. And yet I get caught up in it.

Continue readingHow I’m Voting