After Saturday's tax election for the City of Alexandria, it is becoming even more painfully obvious that our citizens just do not care. If the outcome of the election was suitable to you, then all is well that ends well - until you realize that just 7% of the citizens of the City of Alexandria made a very important decision for the rest of you. Yep, 93% of the registered voters will abide by what the 7% voted for. What happened to majority rule? Well, I guess the majority has just given up - abdicated their responsibility or something. There is not an issue that is decided by the voters that warrants this poor turnout.
It is also very obvious that this phenomenon cuts across racial and socio-economic classes also. There would have to be a large number of both black and white voters absent as well as rich, middle-class and poor also to have poll numbers that low.
I can hardly think of a more important issue than a tax election , but, it appears that it would not matter what the issue.
Does anyone have any insight as to why folks will not participate in our system of governance. Is it possible that most feel that there is no use to try or the system is rigged?
Someone say something - - please.
It is also very obvious that this phenomenon cuts across racial and socio-economic classes also. There would have to be a large number of both black and white voters absent as well as rich, middle-class and poor also to have poll numbers that low.
I can hardly think of a more important issue than a tax election , but, it appears that it would not matter what the issue.
Does anyone have any insight as to why folks will not participate in our system of governance. Is it possible that most feel that there is no use to try or the system is rigged?
Someone say something - - please.
6 comments:
Spanky go look at a district map. The majority of those who voted live in the areas bound by Hwy 28 West, MacArthur, Jackson and Twin Bridges. That's Charles Park, Good Earth, Clermont, the subdivision behind McDonald's on MacArthur that I can never remember the name of, Fairfield, etc. Additionally people in WestPointe, Tennyson Oaks and Landmark voted. But none of these were great in numbers.
The next higher numbers came from the Cherokee area. Then you move to the Garden District area around the zoo and Cabrini.
There were some significant, if you call votes tallying in the 60s and 80s for a district in the area behind Sutherlands extending up to Bolton Ave.
When you look at the Samtown/Woodside area the numbers drop to 20s, 30s and 40s for district totals or even less.
The highest district had 379 votes and that is Charles Park! Let's get real across the board NO ONE turned out to make a statement in support or against. They decided to let someone else decide for them and will now sit back and complain.
I guess that is my point. It appears that we have an across the board wave of apathy. I would like to know why. If blacks are not voting, do the past sacrifices have no value? And the matter of whites not voting, have they grown too lazy to grasp the opportunity to reassert prominence? Are rich folks so rich that they are insulated from what happens in the body politic and poor folk so disconnnected that nothing matters? Maybe politics is irrelevant to people's daily lives.
I have no quarrel with the outcome of the recent election or challenge the manner in which it was conducted. My concern is with the participation of all of us as citizens. The mayoral and council elections of the recent past suffered a similar fate, and while I do not recall the exact poll numbers - I do remember people being impressed with a turnout that was less than 60 percent as being relatively high.
Are we slipping that far into oblivion that we are impressed by such low acheivement?
"Why?" is what I want to know.
Why, Stella, Why?
(Thanks for the research, Anonymous)
There was no effort or publicity to encourage voting. The tax election was designed to attract little interest or attention except by those with a vested interest in passage and a few lonesome sheep like yourself.
Spanky,
I am using your space to post in as many places I can my response to the Town Talk article of today.
Thanks
Lynton Hester
I have made a request to view specified e-mails that have drawn much attention in Pineville as a citizen using certified return receipt mail with a phone number enclosed. At the time of this posting, I have had no response except the article in todays Town Talk, which I find highly unusual and suspect behavior.
The first question that was asked by Karina Donica was" what do you want the e-mails for?" to which my reply was that I was returning the call out of courtesy and that I was preparing dinner for family and would like to conduct the interview on the following day. She informed me that the story would run and that she understood.
What is glaringly obvious is that he subject matter must be highly radioactive for there to be such a high level of interest in a request made by a humble citizen.
Secondly, if I was being properly informed of governmental developments by our local media, I would not be compelled to investigate for myself.
Thirdly, can any and all citizens expect the same "public outing" if they make a similar request?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Lynton Hester said...
I know that there are those of you that feel that since I am from Alexandria, the e-mails that I requested to be viewed were none of my business. So be it. But, they are your business and I dare say that if you folks from Pineville make a similar request that you will at least get no answer, just as I did - which is not a dissappointment or a surprise. But I, living on this side of the river, cannot be intimidated or messed around by your city government as you can.
Lynton O. Hester III
Friday, July 27, 2007 8:00:00 PM
This is a news flash;
I have received a letter from the City of Pineville in today's mail that informed me that while not available at this moment, they are installing a computer in an area that will not impede the city's daily operations.
I wish to apologize for earlier statements that indicated I had no answer. Those statements are true, but I now have a response that indicates a willingness to comply with the law.
Lynton O. Hester III
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