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Super Contributor
Posts: 610
Registered: ‎09-25-2014

Re: Non-political voting question

On 10/6/2014 magicmoodz said:
On 10/5/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:
On 10/5/2014 RubyinNE said:
On 10/5/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:
On 10/5/2014 happy housewife said:

You are not required to vote for every office so you can leave the school board votes blank if you want to. I generally don't vote for things like the dogcatcher or the register of wills unless I have some reason to do so. I agree with the OP that the bios they publish about these people are generally useless.

For the past several years I have been voting my party's straight ticket for numerous reasons so when you do that you vote for whomever is running for anything on your party's ticket.

Wow.

Irsh, I thought the same thing. Wow.

It is just surprising, I don't know anyone who has voted a straight party ticket who actually researched all the candidates, it is usually people who choose to vote straight party ticket because they don't know and they just find it easier. That is scary to think that people do that.

This is how the "uninformed" vote.

This is how the "uniformed" make blanket statements about the "uninformed". You won't find anyone more informed than I am. Which is why I've voted a straight ticket since 2010.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,018
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

On 10/6/2014 Lila Belle said:

Doesn't your town have candidate forums ?

Good schools are important for a town's growth, tax base and businesses being able to attract and retain employees.

What's the saying, if you don't vote you shouldn't complain ?

I attend the "candidate forums" our district conducts. Always get an invitation through the mail to know when they are held. Candidates are able to address questions and concerns from audience members. I have never voted a straight-party ticket. I have never agreed with all of either mainstream party's platform.

Super Contributor
Posts: 2,916
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

What one considers the better half is not what another would consider to be the better half in any election.

I think it is too simple to say that voting straight ticket will solve everything. I believe both sides have something to contribute nor do I feel that all issues are one-sided, at least with me.

If you agree with everything across the board, then imo you really are not open to possibilites with all issues.

We've reached a point where both sides will not budge, and that's not making one side better than the other; it's just stalling any progress we could possibly make in any issue.

Think outside the box; voting one way today can have serious ramifications for tomorrow.

Clover: Good advice - you can always bypass the ballots for the board members.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,680
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

If you have a local newspaper check to see if there has been a candidate debate or interviews with the candidates. Our local school board election last time was contentious so there was a lot of coverage in the paper. The booklet that comes in the mail has almost always proven useless when trying to make election decisions: the candidates don't have to submit a statement. It's very irritating when you're supposed to be voting for judges and board members when there is basically nothing out there on them.

For the school board members, check with your local teachers' union. See if they have any materials on the candidates, see if they are endorsing any of them and why. Are any of them incumbents? Find out what their track record is.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,349
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

Sometimes, if I don't know the candidate in a local election (like this one), I'll look to see who's endorsing them. If the people or groups endorsing are ones I respect, I.use that as the basis for my decision. We have a small local paper with a very active editorial and opinion page. So it's usually easy to find out about these small local races.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.--Marcus Tullius Cicero
Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,916
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

There's an abundance of campaign literature available before any election and there are the campaign ads on tv and in the papers. I keep informed. But, I admit there are some offices that I don't pay much attention to. If I really know nothing about the candidates, I vote by party or look at who is supporting them.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

As an I, generally we are not allowed to vote in the primary, for some reason this year we could only vote for school members. I try to get as much info on all candidates, whether through going to debates or literature or anything.

My schedule has been horrendous, so if I am out of town and friends go they will get info for me, pamphlets and tell me what went on.

ETA

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

On 10/6/2014 Cakers1 said:

What one considers the better half is not what another would consider to be the better half in any election.

I think it is too simple to say that voting straight ticket will solve everything. I believe both sides have something to contribute nor do I feel that all issues are one-sided, at least with me.

If you agree with everything across the board, then imo you really are not open to possibilites with all issues.

We've reached a point where both sides will not budge, and that's not making one side better than the other; it's just stalling any progress we could possibly make in any issue.

Think outside the box; voting one way today can have serious ramifications for tomorrow.

Clover: Good advice - you can always bypass the ballots for the board members.

Cakers,

Great post, excellent.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,390
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Non-political voting question

On 10/6/2014 GrettaGarbled said:
On 10/6/2014 magicmoodz said:
On 10/5/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:
On 10/5/2014 RubyinNE said:
On 10/5/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:
On 10/5/2014 happy housewife said:

You are not required to vote for every office so you can leave the school board votes blank if you want to. I generally don't vote for things like the dogcatcher or the register of wills unless I have some reason to do so. I agree with the OP that the bios they publish about these people are generally useless.

For the past several years I have been voting my party's straight ticket for numerous reasons so when you do that you vote for whomever is running for anything on your party's ticket.

Wow.

Irsh, I thought the same thing. Wow.

It is just surprising, I don't know anyone who has voted a straight party ticket who actually researched all the candidates, it is usually people who choose to vote straight party ticket because they don't know and they just find it easier. That is scary to think that people do that.

This is how the "uninformed" vote.

This is how the "uniformed" make blanket statements about the "uninformed". You won't find anyone more informed than I am. Which is why I've voted a straight ticket since 2010.

Oh please. There is deceit and corruption alive and well in both parties of your country. To not understand that is being uninformed.

Super Contributor
Posts: 610
Registered: ‎09-25-2014

Re: Non-political voting question

On 10/6/2014 magicmoodz said:
On 10/6/2014 GrettaGarbled said:
On 10/6/2014 magicmoodz said:
On 10/5/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:
On 10/5/2014 RubyinNE said:
On 10/5/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:
On 10/5/2014 happy housewife said:

You are not required to vote for every office so you can leave the school board votes blank if you want to. I generally don't vote for things like the dogcatcher or the register of wills unless I have some reason to do so. I agree with the OP that the bios they publish about these people are generally useless.

For the past several years I have been voting my party's straight ticket for numerous reasons so when you do that you vote for whomever is running for anything on your party's ticket.

Wow.

Irsh, I thought the same thing. Wow.

It is just surprising, I don't know anyone who has voted a straight party ticket who actually researched all the candidates, it is usually people who choose to vote straight party ticket because they don't know and they just find it easier. That is scary to think that people do that.

This is how the "uninformed" vote.

This is how the "uniformed" make blanket statements about the "uninformed". You won't find anyone more informed than I am. Which is why I've voted a straight ticket since 2010.

Oh please. There is deceit and corruption alive and well in both parties of your country. To not understand that is being uninformed.

Another blanket statement. For someone so informed, you sure make a lot of generalizations.