OT: Get out and vote!

[Kibitzer]

If you don't bother to vote in local elections, that tells me that you don't give a damn about:

• How your municipality is managed;
• Your property taxes (even indirectly, as a renter);
• Quality of schools;
• Services, most notably police protection and firefighters' support; and,
  
• Quality of life issues (e.g., parks & recreation).

And that's just for starters. Also, if you don't vote, you forfeit your bitching rights.

Go vote. Just once.

 

[HoopsFan21]

There's going to be low voter turnout this year given that it's all local elections. I probably won't get a chance to vote because of work, but Greenwich is already run fairly well, and we have the lowest property taxes in the state, or very close to it, even with good schools and full services. Can't get much better than that!

 

[meyers7]

As they say from my neck of the woods (where I grew up...IL),

Vote early and vote often.

 

[mikejays]

I voted, but I am afraid that my vote did not do much to impact taxes, schools, services and quality of life. A two-page ballot in Granby. With only one contested office. About as much choice as in the old Soviet Union.

 

[Kibitzer]

I can't comment on those few municipalities that are so dominated by one party that voters are overtaken by apathy. For others (the vast majority), here's a quote by Edmund Burke:

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."​

I don't want to be preachy, but exercising the right to vote is something precious for me.

 

[Husky25]

If you don't bother to vote in local elections, that tells me that you don't give a damn about:

• How your municipality is managed;
• Your property taxes (even indirectly, as a renter);
• Quality of schools;
• Services, most notably police protection and firefighters' support; and,
  
• Quality of life issues (e.g., parks & recreation).

And that's just for starters. Also, if you don't vote, you forfeit your bitching rights.

Go vote. Just once.

Voting on the yearly budget referendum does more to determine reasons 2-5 than the municipal elections.

That said, I will drop by the high school after work. The Councilwoman who was at the heart of the police department mess in East Hampton is looking to get back on the Council after a 4 year hiatus. Personally I feel she is responsible for about half (if not more) the mill rate increase since I moved here 8 years ago. Plus, after sitting through about a year's worth of Council meetings, she does not come off as a very nice person either.

 

[vtcwbuff]

"Also, if you don't vote, you forfeit your bitching rights."

Sometimes that is the only reason why I bother - but I always bother, even if I often have to hold my nose in national elections.

 

[Husky25]

"Also, if you don't vote, you forfeit your bitching rights."

Sometimes that is the only reason why I bother - but I always bother, even if I often have to hold my nose in national elections.

Most voter get out for a presidential election year, thinking they are most important (most powerful office in the Western World and all...), and pays the midterms/municipal elections largely no mind. On the other hand, the elected officials closest to where you live have the most impact on your day-to-day life.

 

[SubbaBub]

The pool of people willing to serve at the local level is ridiculously small. The subset willingly to do it without some personal gain is a lot smaller still.

Voting is the least you can do.

 

[Husky25]

The pool of people willing to serve at the local level is ridiculously small. The subset willingly to do it without some personal gain is a lot smaller still.

Voting is the least you can do.

Miniscule and this is the problem. Without a more thorough vetting system from the public they serve (i.e. cronyism, lack of debates, sniping op-eds in the local free periodical, etc.), it's very difficult to determine the lesser evils.

 

[Brodog16]

Miniscule and this is the problem. Without a more thorough vetting system from the public they serve (i.e. cronyism, lack of debates, sniping op-eds in the local free periodical, etc.), it's very difficult to determine the lesser evils.

Husky25, FYI, voting in East Hampton is at the Middle School. Just wanted to spare you an extra trip.

 

[Husky25]

Husky25, FYI, voting in East Hampton is at the Middle School. Just wanted to spare you an extra trip.

Thanks. For the last some-ought years its been at the high school. Must have something to do with the renovations. I just confirmed on the Patch.

 

[Orangutan]

As they say from my neck of the woods (where I grew up...IL),

Vote early and vote often.

Ha, I was going to cite that line. However, there are no elections in Chicago today. Got everything out of the way in February and April.

 

[SubbaBub]

Miniscule and this is the problem. Without a more thorough vetting system from the public they serve (i.e. cronyism, lack of debates, sniping op-eds in the local free periodical, etc.), it's very difficult to determine the lesser evils.

Need more candidates before any vetting can occur. There are still many uncontested races in areas that should be competitive.

 

[ABachelor6CR]

Wife became a US Citizen on 10/28/15 and voted for the first time today.....although not the way I wanted her to...LOL.......she was so excited to register and to vote.....