From time to time I agree with Councilor Knudson, but too often not for the same reasons.
At the Charter Revision Meeting yesterday, (scroll down to the October 28, meeting, De speaks at the beginning) De suggested we move our city elections to June to save the city money and have a bigger voter turnout. I couldn’t agree more, because it would line up with the state primary elections.
De says she couldn’t understand why voter turnout was so low in the last city election compared to 2006.
Knudson cited preliminary statistics on voter turnout for city and special elections. In April 2006, 37.1 percent of voters cast ballots in the joint city/school election, compared to 14.1 percent for the city election last April.
Two words; Super Precincts.
The change to Super Precincts hurt voter turnout big time. Some people who intended to vote showed up to their old precinct and never voted. Others were so confused by it, they said the Hell with it. I can’t understand why some councilors are in such a state of denial about the super precincts debacle. Admit the mistake and move on already. Seriously.
Councilor Jamison was opposed to the move saying the council candidates would get lost in the shuffle. Bologna. I could see that if the election was during a presidential/national election but not a primary.
There was also mention that the city elections were bi-partisan. That one made me laugh. While there is members of both political parties and one independent (that I know of) sitting on the council, I can assure you that the councilors are very involved in their political parties.
You actually agree with Tweedle-De?
very strange.
Well, it is a good idea – for once
GREAT cartoon, scott — so true!
I’m always befuddled when De asks “I don’t understand why voter turnout was so low.”
Ehrisman..
Amusing cartoons aside, you really should check the facts before you go slamming the city for Super Precincts. It was the Sioux Falls School District that forced the city into that predicament. By the time the filing deadline came and no candidate appeared to challenge Debbie Hoffman, it was too late to change back.
I guess I wasn’t slamming the city for the idea, I was slamming the fact of how it was handled and the constant denial by certain councilors that it was a poor decision (whether they made it or not). Sometimes you have to eat the shit sandwich your handed, but don’t pretend it is a steak, it’s still a shit sandwich.