Election Day
It’s Election Day across the country. Here’s a quick rundown of some major races and here’s another:
Voters in off-year elections Tuesday decide whether to keep Republican governors in Mississippi and Kentucky, elect four big-city mayors and consider ballot issues including a Utah proposal to pay state tuition aid for students in private schools.
In Mississippi, Gov. Haley Barbour was benefiting from relative success in managing the post-Hurricane Katrina rebuilding of the state’s devastated Gulf Coast. He was considered a heavy favorite for re-election over Democrat John Eaves.
The 2005 storm and flooding left Barbour, a former Republican National Committee chairman, on far firmer political ground than it did his neighbor in Louisiana, where Republican Bobby Jindal last month won the governorship. Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, whose popularity suffered in Katrina’s aftermath, did not seek re-election.
Utah has a school voucher measure on the ballot.
Oregon has a massive cigarette tax hike on the plate to fund–what else–health insurance for children.
Houston, Pittsburgh Philadelphia, and San Francisco voters will choose mayors:
In Philadelphia, former Democratic councilman Michael Nutter was expected to become the city’s next mayor. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl was facing opposition from Republican Mark DeSantis. Houston Mayor Bill White had only token opposition to his re-election in the nation’s fourth-largest city. And San Francisco’s Gavin Newsom was widely expected to win a second term despite admitting to a drinking problem and an affair with an aide’s wife earlier this year.
In NY, the NYPost reports on the possible impact of the Spitzer/Hillary illegal alien driver’s license plan on local elections.
In Virginia, immigration is also hot-button:
Samir Ghosh, a retired tax consultant, agreed that immigration was one the most important local issues.
“I am an immigrant myself, and I think that only those that have earned their citizenship should be able to get a driver’s license,” he said. “I don’t like the thought of anyone being pulled over to check their immigration status, but if they are caught doing something wrong, the police should be able to check.”
What’s going on in your neck of the woods?
***
Reader Tim e-mails a story noting MoveOn.org’s meddling presence at the polls in Kentucky:
Voters in Jefferson County complained that MoveOn.org, a liberal political group, set up tables outside some polling places and told people they were conducting exit polls.
“A number of voters are complaining that it’s intimidating,” [Les Fugate, a spokesman for the Kentucky Secretary of State's office] said.
***
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Sounds like a great idea to me.
I find it interesting that so many folks don’t realize what is happening. The Cigarette tax money will simply be used as an offset for other revenue needs. Also, in the long run, the Cigarette tax money will disappear completely into the general fund. It is just plain dumb to think that a tax can be lock boxed for the supposed intended purpose.
Here in MN, school board elections are paramount, along with school levy increases being voted on. The sheeple here in Mn think that throwing money at a student makes him/her educated. In my town specific, we voted on whether the City Council should be a Charter organization . Oh goody, nothing like making voting for pet projects any easier.
We have local races in NJ: The upside is we won’t have to listen to the terrible radio commercials any longer.
Another upside is my little town failed to produce any Democrats on the ballot, not that I’d be voting for them anyway.
We’re in the same sinking boat, Jammie. How much you wanna bet that all 4 public questions pass–even though it is clear that 3 out of the 4 will increase taxes in our already overburdened state.
By the way, I voted NO on question 4 which would have removed the words imbecile and idiot from the NJ constitution. I figure we need those words to describe our elected awfishuls.
My local police chief is running for county sheriff on the platform that he refuses to question the legal status of criminal immigrants. He’ll sail right in, I’m sure.
Here in KC Metro area we’re voting on the annexation by Independence school district of 7 schools currently in the KCMO district.
No doubt it does…
Funding healthcare with a tax on something you try and get people to stop buying is foolish. Either it’s too expensive for them to buy, so they stop (thus no revenue) or they buy it till they quit, fewer people take up the habit, and revue falls. How do you fund the program then?
Besides, sales taxes are nothing but a hidden tax on the poor and working class. I thought you people were those two groups’ champions…
don’t you have to get a permit to set-up tables outside of a voting facility to take a poll? can just anyone stand outside and conduct this same type of activity?
so, is moveon.org now in the business of polling? do they think we would trust their addition? population of poll all democrats.. results.. Hillary Wins!! While Republicans run from them and refuse to speak or provide their ‘private’ vote. Isn’t this what happened to Kerry in 04?
Now, if taking a poll appears as intimidating to the exiters, pray tell what tactics were these pollsters using to attempt to get a response to their questions. Strange very strange.
Hopefully, people will become so offended by the moveon crowd that they will lose their respect from the more stable democrats.
Hey, I am a Christian, I believe in Miracles!
Anyone know anything about the Utah school voucher ballot?
I heard that school districts still get their $7500 in funding for kids whose parents choose school vouchers instead of public schools.
I say again… If the initiative passes public schools schools will still get money for a kids they don’t have to educate (so, they would actually profit from this passing). And yet they are fighting it tooth and nail.
Is this true? If it is then it reinforces pretty much everything I believe about public schools and the people who run them.
With regards to MoveOn.org, I’d walk out there and tell them point-blank I’d never vote for a liberal candidate. I’d rather enjoy seeing the expressions on their faces, assuming they don’t lose their oh-so-tolerant liberal sense of peace and pacifism and attack me instead.
Here is Virginia there’s an active race between Jeannemarie Davis, the wife of Representative Thomas Davis versus Chap Petersen, who ran for Lt. Gov’r here in 2005 and helped to get Webb into the Senate – that’s in District 34.
Also, Ken Cuccinelli and Tim Hugo are in tough fights as well from the Republican side.
Additionally, I have been dealing with for about a week the morning onslaught of candidates at the Franconia-Springfield Metro station asking me to vote for them. Yesterday there were no less than 7 of them I had to run in that gauntlet.
I hope that in Prince William County to the south that they get as many anti-amnesty supervisors as possible on the board.
Gonna take SF two weeks to tally the votes. bwwwaaaahhhhahahhahahah!
LAME.
Flint, Michigan has a Mayoral election. The incumbent is a 73 year old former business man. The challenger is a 33 year old that has never held public office or worked in the private sector. This is a non-partisan election, but the State Democratic Party is providing the challenger with a lot of money and campaign help.
I live in Fairfax County, VA, a suburb of Washington with over a million people in the county. The county over the past 10 years has become more blue because of increased immigration.
We have a huge illegal immigration problem. The neighboring counties–Prince William and Loudoun, more red than blue–have enacted strict immigration reform and have denied illegal aliens any benefits. Our county chairman of the board of supervisors, who Laura Ingraham calls “Geraldo” Connelly, recently declared Fairfax a sanctuary county that welcomes illegals. Not surprisingly, guess who is moving out of Prince William and Loudoun into Fairfax for free benefits and taxpayer financed low cost housing? “Geraldo” Connelly is running for reelection. I just voted against him.
This election should be interesting. When the Republican candidate for Virginia governor ran a couple of years ago, they were following the Karl Rove strategy of not making immigration an issue. Ditto for George Allen last year. They refused to mention illegal immigration. The open borders RNC obviously pressured them not to. Both lost.
This time, though, immigration is the key campaign issues for the Republicans. Three Republicans from Fairfax County are defending their Virginia Senate seats, and all of them have come out strongly against illegal immigration. Hopefully, they will win reelection.
Kentucky Election Day Intimidation by Moveon Democrats:
There were complaints of illegal electioneering and voter intimidation in Jefferson County… Steve Robertson, chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky, sent a letter to the Jefferson County Board of Elections seeking an investigation of an incident
at Chancey Elementary School in Louisville in which a poll worker allegedly engaged in illegal electioneering.
The poll worker was alleged to have said loudly to another person that “A vote for Ernie Fletcher is a wasted vote because he is getting his butt kicked
by Steve Beshear at the polls anyway.”
A voter confronted the poll worker and later complained to the state party, according to Robertson’s letter.
Robertson asked that the poll worker be removed from the polling area while the matter was investigated.
Officials at the Jefferson County Board of Elections could not be reached for comment early Tuesday afternoon….
Fugate said the secretary of state’s office received a complaint about the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org in
Jefferson County.
“Supposedly they are exit-polling, but some voters feel intimidated with that, so they’ve called to let us know,” he said.
http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/223066.html
Voting to raise property tax.
We have one of the highest in the south.
And…one of the mayoral candidates to go up against Newsome is named “Chicken”….
seriously, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Unfortunately, I’m with IrishEi and JWF.
Keylime, we’re neighbors. I haven’t run the gauntlet with any of them, but I agree that there are some tough races going on here in No. Va.. Immigration is a big issue, though, I think, the candidates would rather see transportation as the one and only issue.
Its you and Ace 24.4 to 24.5 at 3:53 CST
Graysonret and Keylime,
I also live in NOVA. In my district in southern Fairfax County, Jay O’Brien, the defending Republican Virginia Senator, has made immigration front and center in his campaign, and he vows to cut off all benefits throughout the state for illegals and deport all criminal illegals. It seems to me, from the advertisements I get in the mail, that the Republicans have run a much better campaign this year than in previous years where they did not want to make immigration an issue. It will be great news if he wins reelection and the other Republicans win; if they don’t I think it bodes very ill for 2008.
All quiet on the Nebraska front.
Little red dots in a big blue sea.
Here in Texas, there is a bit of a controversy.
In Ft. Worth, fliers were found in a mostly hispanic area that said it was ok to vote up until Saturday.
So, the activists are all up in arms saying some ‘right wing group’ must have put this out to confuse the hispanics.
Well, I don’t know about that, but I get the feeling that its another manufactured outrage. I think some group like Acorn or the like made a few fliers and distrubited them so a leading hispanic activist would find them, get outraged, and see what happens.
That way, if the election doesn’t go their way, they can always claim “Voter disenfranchisement”, and take it to court.
I’m just answering the question, “who would benefit the most from this action”. I just don’t see how this would help the right, to do something like this. Unless its just a lone wacko.
“It is unknown how many of the fliers have been distributed.”
Please keep us posted on this, Gabe. I think it will serve as a true bellwether for the Presidential election.
Sounds like a dumb idea to me.
Liberals love to go after the so called ‘sin tax’ (tobacco and alcohol), and stating that it’s ‘for the children’, which by the way is one of the most overused and nauseating phrases the left has ever come up with.
Using a sales tax on a limited number of goods to fund another gubmint program is pure, unadulterated chicanery on the part of politicians.
Besides, I thought all those lawsuits against ‘Big Tobacco’ was supposed to fund, among other items, health care for ‘the children’. All it really did was to fund the trial lawyers bank accounts.
I voted yes on all the public questions so I voted for stem cell research and I am sure Michael J. Fox is thrilled. I voted for the Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres deal although I do NOT know about that other tv show — who starred in Blue Acres? I voted so they will remove words like deranged and insane from voting regulations — it is unfair to call the dems nasty names! I am guessing there will be a big win for the dems in
BlueNew Jersey.Did my part to keep our Mayor in office for a second term. He has done a lot to make the local economy grow, fix roads, and improve other infrastructure. The good old boy we had before him wanted to keep the town small and strangled any improvements or growth. We finally have a mayor that wants our Air Force dependent economy to diversify by bringing other industries. Taxes went up a little, but at least we can see real improvements for the cost. The tax base is growing through new homes and businesses. He is a retired Air Force Senior NCO of color looks like he might stay in office over the good old boy trying to replace him. We call the good old boys here the “shifty 50” for the 50 families that have kept our community so small it almost closed the Air Force Base a couple of BRAC rounds ago. That’s our big issue this election cycle in the wilds of Idaho.
Maybe they were referring to early voting, which (I think) did proceed through this past Saturday. Bigger down here is the attempt to slip through a property tax increase disguised in the ballot language as a tax cut.
I had so show a photo ID here in Florida in order to vote. The photo served to identify me as the voter named on the rolls. The address on my license served to verify that I was registered and voting in the correct precinct. Finally the signature on my ID was compared to my signature on the sign in book just to make sure it was me. All this took just seconds to complete and to the poll workers I say Thank You for a job well done.
I live in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY, and saw none of the activity described above, thank goodness.
Rave: had to show picture ID to verify who I was.
Rant: the location nor the workers were very user-friendly, even after I mentioned I was new to KY.
Our pencil ballots were sucked into a machine, but I’m not sure if it was electronically counting them or what.
No “I Voted!” stickers, either.
Hey Gabe,
I’m with you! I live in Prince William County where illegal immigration is a big issue. Go Republicans!
I’ve voted for you the last few days! It’s close, more of us need to get over there and VOTE!
2007 Weblog Award – just voted for Michelle.
When the taxpayers get the big bill for serving the illegal alien population, they will begin to change their tune or the will find their city/county bankrupt.
Fairfax County wishes Prince William County, a good victory today. Maybe a strong anti-illegal immigration there showing will shake up this county a bit more. Our county supervisor dodges the issue.
Heh same here. I sure hope he goes down.
Having watched my community change drastically over the last 5 years because of the massive influx of illegal immigrants, I’m looking forward to strong anti-illegal immigration wins.
Here in PA it was Judge retention votes added to new Juges, County Commissioners etc. I voted to oust all but two state level judges. Voted Republican on all but one office even though I am still a registered Democrat.gave my husband his instructions too. I will probably change to Independent after the primaries. Yes there are still people registered as Democrats that can still think for themselves. Low turnout here but that may be good news.
I read that it was a 2500 voucher and the balance of the 7500 still went to the schools.
The NEA was fighting it with 3 mil in funding. They don’t want any state to be the shift to vouchers and have their whole house of cards fall apart.
I just got home from voting and at the precinct I was at, they reported that the flow was light overall, but at spots heavy.
I voted predominantly Republican with I think one exception. I definitely made sure that any pro-immigrant candidate did not get my vote.
I’m eagerly awaiting some of the election results.
Tax the hell out cigarettes? Oh yes, absolutely. I have no problem with that. To the point they become too expensive to buy would be even better.
There has been over 2 million smoking related deaths between 2000-2005 in America.
Shame billions are spent “on the war of terror” and not enough done on something that will actually affect most families in this country….
The Measure 50 was nothing more than another way around a sales tax increase on tobacco products that couldn’t pass on its own merits. So our politicians cloak it in the guise of a boon for children’s health…trot out the usual puppy and doe eyed children pictures and play on the heart strings of voters. I don’t smoke and I voted NO… they are trying to tax a minority with a Constitutional amendment…. and this would surely morph into a sales tax.
Yeah. And wouldn’t it be nice if someday the army would have to hold a bake sale…
/s
Another big problem with that cigarette tax in Oregon is that it puts the tax in the Oregon Constitution. Oregon has a law that requires a two-thirds majority to initiate a new tax. By putting it in the Constitution, there is only a simple majority required.
I just got back from voting. And it’s a shame Houston doesn’t have a better selection for mayor. Maybe next time.
They had 6 booths and they were full and a poll worker noted that was the first time that happened all day. But people were getting off work and didn’t have much time left to vote. Pretty light tho. I signed in and mine was the only signature on the page.
AND I also voted for MM and HA.
The conservatives are a-loosing.
Vote!
In my state we are voting for a light rail system that would take 20 years to build and (at least) 50 years to pay for.
Time time to move out of Fairfax County VA.
I find it amazing that the Cuccinelli/Oleszek race is as close as it is.
That women is a complete idiot.
When the Fairfax Times/Washington post imply that she is out of her league and the race is that close. It is time to move on.
Oregon “Universal Healthcare” referendum FAILS!
For 21%
Against 79%
97% of vote counted
[Link: HERE]
Pittsburgh Mayor HERE:
Luke Ravenstahl, D 42,290
Mark F. Desantis, R 23,313
(no % shown)
Next, Philadelphia Mayor HERE:
Michael Nutter (D) 222,644 83%
Al Taubenberger (R) 46,034 17%
At last count, Michelle is only behind Ace by 70 votes.
“What is the definition of illegal” Connelly won in Fairfax County, Virginia. The crowd of day laborers at the shopping center here, will be happy.
Graysonret, F15Mech, and Keylime,
He won by a landslide, too, and was brazenly pro-illegal alien during the campaign. My state senator, Jim O’Brien lost, after having campaigned as being staunchly against illegal immigration. He was the one that introduced the law that passed to stop giving illegal aliens Virginia licenses. Many of the hijackers on 9/11 had Virginia licenses.
The problem with Northern Virginia is that we have too many liberals who have moved here from the Northern states for the economy and way of life. Republicans built up Fairfax County in the 1970′s and 80′s that attracted all the liberals and immigrants here.
Plus, we have a huge immigrant population, and they tend to vote for Democrats.
Finally, a lot of immigrants here legally but who are not citizens vote in Fairfax County. I know a Muslim woman I used to work with in another office, who lives in Cuccenelli’s district and is not a citizen, who proudly voted for John Kerry in the 2004 elections because she “can’t stand” Bush.
At least in my district of Fairfax County, the Republican Pat Herrity won for supervisor, and he ran as a conservative. I think Cuccinelli, who appears to have barely won, and Herrity should investigate how many non-citizens are voting in Fairfax County. The mosques here really encourage Muslims, citizen and non-citizen, to vote, and they vote as a block for Democrats, too. If you are not a citizen and are here legally, you have a license and nothing is stopping you from voting.
What these elections just showed is that Fairfax County is hugely welcoming to illegals. I’ve already noticed an even bigger increase of illegals at the shopping centers since Prince William and Loudoun counties cracked down.
Also, expect “Geraldo” Connelly and dems to increase the property tax rate this year to keep the money pouring in for illegals in Fairfax County Public Schools (they need many ESL teachers, with a very low student to teacher ratio) and low-cost housing for illegals.
Wait people have to sign and show ID at polling places?
In my neck of the woods in Kennedy-Land, all I had do do was give them a street address, and then they looked up my name and asked me if it was right. All I had to do to vote was say “Yes.”
Seriously.
I figure this thread is pretty much dead, but I wanted to post an update to my previous comment.
The school voucher program in Utah failed
. There is an article on it here. What made me really sad was the comment section. They have a Digg-style rating system (which seems pretty stupid for a newspaper) and any pro-voucher voices are “dugg-down” into oblivion.
From the comments, it’s obvious that the commentors aren’t the least bit concerned about the actual education of the children. They are concerned about the system and the status quo.
I left a comment, but I expect the book-burners to burn it down soon. It’s what they do.
Wow. It’s only been about five minutes and my comment is already at -5.
No debate, no discussion. Just silencing dissent.
Not surpising 29Victor, there are probably a lot of people who belong to the teachers’ union posting there.
StandardDeviation:
That’s what I figure, which is even spookier. The thought of all of those kids futures in the hands of people who think of them in this way.
Here’s my favorite comment so far (and remember, the main purpose of school vouchers is to get poor kids out of the poverty cycle caused by failing public schools.)
BTW. My first comment on the thread has been dugg down to -10, it’s now “hidden.” No discussion, no debate. Meanwhile the schmuck who posted what I quoted is +2.
This is why I don’t digg anymore. Liberals don’t debate, the censor.
I know this is a very minor part of the article, but did anyone else see this?
How arrogant can you get? Sorry that you think the election workers are such a burden.
You would want them to soil your new royal palace, would you?
I hope whoever is thinking about running against this guy next time has saved a copy of this quote.
With citizenship a joke these days; with everyone in the world voting in our elections and getting all the privileges, plus wide open borders, why the heck do we have a country anyway?