Sac Bee columnist Dan Walters explains here how low voter turnout affects our political scene.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article3545823.html
Walters says we set a record for low turnout in June – 25 percent. He then predicted that less than 50 percent would turn out for yesterday’s election. Candace Grubbs warned us too – and they were right, it looks like less than 50 percent turned out.
When I saw the numbers on our city council election last night, I knew right away something was weird. Last night they were reporting totals for the leading candidates around 5,000 votes a piece, when in past, the top candidates have pulled in more than 10,000 votes each. In 2010 the losers were getting more than 5,000 votes – Bob Evans lost with over 10,000 votes. And there were more candidates to spread the votes between in 2010, but they still came out with more votes. That’s because over 20,000 more people voted in 2010.
Another interesting factor is the number of “blank” and “under” votes, defined here:
From Florida State Division of Elections:
Under Votes: If total votes is less than or equal to the number to vote for, then subtract he total votes
from the number to vote for. If the system counts blank votes (as defined below) then under votes are
recorded only when there is a vote for more than one contest and at least one vote is cast but les than
the required number to vote for.
Blank Votes (optional): If there is no vote selection at all for a contest, then it is counted as one blank
vote.
Apparently, just over 8 percent of the people who bothered to vote at all filled in less than the three requested bubbles for Chico city council. I didn’t vote for any of the candidates, but I wrote in Joe Montes, so I don’t know whether I counted as an “under” or a “blank”. This was my “protest” vote, and I know they heard it. That’s a pretty sad turnout, hardly an endorsement of the people. I hate to do the math – how much did Coolidge spend per vote?
At one point Coolidge tried to take me to task for not endorsing him, asking me what I thought he was up to:
“I know you like to think we all have dreams of power, but really, seriously? what is this tremendous power? The $400 a month?? Are all the past council members in Chico rich and powerful and living in big homes because of their time on the council. Andre Grieco? Shelton Enochs? Ronald Stewart? James Evans? Maragaret Worley?
Really?? Is this the fortune 500 of Chico? Are they living in Mansions off Keifer Road? Have you ever even heard of them in the last five years?? Please stop, it is so wrong to pretend everyone who wants to make their town better is evil…”
Andrew, your actions would be suspicious to anyone. You make fun of me for wondering – why would you spend nearly $30,000 (and that’s the most recent total) to get a $400/month job? Helloooo? This election has made it clear – Chico City Council is now closed to the average citizen/taxpayer, only the high-rollers can run for this local position.
Like Dan Walters said, our lives are being run by wealthy white men over 50 years of age.
Butte County Election Results for last night
http://clerk-recorder.buttecounty.net/elections/archives/eln31/results-1.htm
| CITY OF CHICO COUNCIL (3) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | |||
| Number of Precincts | 38 | ||
| Precincts Reporting | 38 | 100.0 % | |
| Vote For | 3 | ||
| Times Counted | 16452/44289 | 37.1 % | |
| Total Votes | 44071 | ||
| Times Blank Voted | 704 | ||
| Times Over Voted | 23 | ||
| Number Of Under Votes | 3104 | ||
|
|
|||
| ANDREW COOLIDGE | 8887 | 20.17% | |
| MARK SORENSEN | 8280 | 18.79% | |
| REANETTE FILLMER | 7899 | 17.92% | |
| LUPE ARIM-LAW | 6251 | 14.18% | |
| FOROUGH MOLINA | 5839 | 13.25% | |
| SCOTT GRUENDL | 5535 | 12.56% | |
| RODNEY WILLIS | 1299 | 2.95% | |
| Write-in Votes | 81 | 0.18% | |
Butte County Election Results 2010:
| CITY OF CHICO COUNCIL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | |||
| Number of Precincts | 42 | ||
| Precincts Reporting | 42 | 100.0 % | |
| Vote For | 3 | ||
| Total Votes | 68907 | ||
| Times Blank Voted | 2282 | ||
| Times Over Voted | 14 | ||
| Number Of Under Votes | 9126 | ||
|
|
|||
| MARK SORENSEN | 13225 | 19.19% | |
| SCOTT GRUENDL | 10717 | 15.55% | |
| MARY FLYNN | 10448 | 15.16% | |
| BOB EVANS | 10320 | 14.98% | |
| MARK HERRERA | 9154 | 13.28% | |
| BOB KROMER | 9005 | 13.07% | |
| QUENTIN COLGAN | 2599 | 3.77% | |
| BRAHAMA D. SHARMA | 1686 | 2.45% | |
| DAVE DONNAN | 1635 | 2.37% | |
| Write-in Votes | 118 | 0.17% | |
It is startling to see how much you have to say about things that you know so little about. The local returns are only slightly lower than 4 years ago at this point in the counting process. There are still 3000-4000 ballots to be counted. Those consist of the thousand of vote by mail ballots dropped off at polling places on Election Day, plus almost a thousand provisional ballots. The ending vote numbers will be in line with 4 years ago, only slightly lower. You have better odds of being struck by lightning today than those ballots have of changing the top 3 with such a lead.
I don’t get your point, except to be insulting. I’m saying, people didn’t turn out, turnout was horrible, I posted the statistics right in front of you. Those are from Butte County – look at the line “total votes” – from 68,000+ in 2010 to 44,000+ last night. With 100% of precincts reporting.
I get so sick and tired of you university types acting as though if we don’t have capital letters behind our name we’re not allowed to have a conversation. Oh, excuse me, I got a pot of fairy shrimp on the stove right now…why don’t you pick up a rake and run through a meadow in a thunder storm.