Bexley Turnout
4567 Unofficially, 4239 votes were cast for mayor of Bexley, including 4239 3911 at polling places and 328 cast absentee. [Note on changes: I had updated the vote total with the absentee votes at a point at which the BOE had already gone back and updated the totals, resulting in me double-reporting absentees) A year ago in 2006, 4806 votes were cast at polling places in Bexley, and it is likely (based on the counts from the 20th house district), that approximately 1000-2000 more Bexleyites cast votes absentee for a total of 5800-6800.
I know people thought turnout was light today, and given the races we had, higher turnout wouldn't have been a shock. On the other hand, pulling 7060-75% of the most recent Statewide and Congressional in an odd-numbered year is actually not bad. 4567 is 46% 4239 is 42% of the number of 2006 registered voters.
And speaking of numbers of people... BB had 379 visitors/837 pageviews today, the busiest day in Blue Bexley's history... including Election Day 2006.
Blogging will be sporadic (again) this week, as I will be at the annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relations (which really sounds like a right wing 527/think tank/ministry, but I assure you is actually an academic/professional society).
Good Night.
15 comments:
November 6, 2007 is a sad day for Bexley. Nothing against Mr. Brennan personally, he maybe a great recreation director and make us feel warm and fuzzy, BUT he does not have the skill set nor the vision to lead Bexley into a sound future. Weiss shared his thoughts, plans and leadership experience. Minckler took the debates I attended and shared his vision- and we miss his Cobblestone Gardens. Harvey shared his skills and experience- we also need his candy shop. Weinblatt gave a good punch for a high school student. Irvine made a movie and humored everyone. Jones shared her life stories many times and Lampkee continued to scow as he rode his "FOP endorsement" like a dead horse over a cliff.
Election 2007, this Bexley taxpayer hoped for progress, content,direction, vision and strong leadership. Doubtful!
If we can wait until 2111 maybe then.
Congrats to John Brennan and his supporters! My concern, however, is the return (or did we ever leave it since the Browns, Tafts and others?) of the significance of name recognition over substantive platforms and long range plans. This despite a wealth of voter information resources... David Tyack over Patsy Thomas may be another example coming out of this election.
Excellent ideas and innovative thinking for Bexley's future were presented by the many candidates. I remain hopeful that incoming Mayor Brennan will embrace his "Team of Rivals" for their continuing contributions and vision for a long term strategic business and financial plan for Bexley. Our sustainability, growth, infrastructures and tax base may demand no less.
In a perfect world a "Team of Rivals" would share their visions for Bexley.
Bexley elected Mr. Brennan and now Bexley will get what they voted for, Bexley had a chance for a future of progress and change. Bexley voters will now receive the skills they supported.
Why would any of the other candidates manipulate the choice of Bexley residents by doing the job of their rival?
If the mayor-elect does not have the ability then Bexley should have known better.
I followed the candidates, Brennan never did share any plan or agenda for our future.
I voted for Minckler, his agenda was in print, video and in person.
We in South Bexley talk a mean game about how much we are shunned, neglected, etc...but again in 2007, when given the chance to improve (or at least maintain) representation, we didn't bother to vote.
If you didn't vote in this election, shame on you. The next time you feel like pissing and moaning about the way things are run in this city, please don't bother.
It's a long time until 2007. For the vast majority of you who didn't care enough to vote this time, you have two years to get "Election Day" written into your day planner.
I meant 2009. But you get my drift.
Furious, from what I have seen and heard the same situation was all over the country. SAD! I agree totally with you.
Additionally the powers of Bexley, "the good ole boys club" who we all refer and joke about, do run the city.
Bexley elected those who can control and be controlled. Leadership who does not threaten the powers at large. For this reason we can count on business as normal. When a candidate for city council who is running for yet another term states that "Main Street is alive with activity" during a public debate and yet this LACK OF REALITY is re-elected with NO content or vision and very little effort towards re-election, the root of control is very deep.
Bexley is what Bexley is...Vision, Progress, and New Idea's are not part of Bexley's equation.
Things will be the same in Bexley as the world passes Bexley bye, other communities will grow and develop. Olde Towne East at one time was the "Bexley" of Columbus, families moved east....WAKE UP BEXLEY, New Albany is ready for families to move east once again.
My first thought upon reading some of these was to dismiss them as overly cynical, but when Wassenburger gets tossed out on election day instead of the old guard, something is clearly wrong.
And we need to ask how we let it happen.
What and How did it happen? Not just Wassenburger,Minckler, Weiss and others. People with skills, leadership and plans were not elected. What went wrong? Four more years of the same of "Olde Boys". MORE OF THE SAME STAGNATION!
I do think that a lot of these posts are overly cynical. Wasserburger was hurt by a poor turnout in south Bexley, and by another new candidate who campaigned very hard as well. It is dissapointing to see the same "old guard" elected time and again, but there is a reason the phrase "name recognition" exists - this is not a Bexley phenomenon. Local elections universally suffer the same indignities, and I don't see how this is some omen of Bexley's electoral failure.
And by the way, you who commented re: Wasserburger losing - maybe you should start by learning to spell his name, and once you've done that you can complain about voter apathy...
Content is what is important. No matter how it is spelled, CONTENT.
Additionally, this is still AMERICA and freedom of speech is still law. Reality Check you must have supported another candidate, if we want to complain and bitch it is our right, we voted, if you do not care to read it...read other blogs like how great George Bush is doing, I'm sure that is your territory to begin with.
bex35 - no, I strongly supported Hanz and others who provided content instead of just a name.
Not really sure why you responded so aggresively - my only point is that name recognition is a universally powerful consideration, and that its grip on the electorate is by no means confined to Bexley. So how does that make me a Bush loving Wasserburger hater? Chill out...
In my first comment I meant "comments" not "posts" - sorry...
On the point of Bexley voter turnout, approx. 20 countries require voter registration and turnout. Australia imposes fines absent adequate excuse. Tough multi-pronged debate - pros: candidates can focus on issues rather than getting people to the polls and all citizens participate in the process; negatives: voters can fight back with "negative" votes or may be less informed than those who make the voluntary effort to vote. Should citizens in a democracy be compelled to vote? Is there potential for a local option (approved by the voters) to require citizens of a city to vote or face fines?
Perhaps Bonobo can post the results of the races (and turnout) by ward/precinct. That might shed some light on what took place last week.
How did the various candidates fare in certain areas of the city? I know it's work, but that's why we need blogs, right?
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