Episode Information
We under value local elections. They get the worst turnout despite the fact that they may touch us most immediately. Low turn-out tends to concentrate power in the hands of small groups of single issue soreheads which can lead to bad results which can undermine people's faith in the process, which can lead to low turn out. This is why, after you listen to the show today, I want you to go out and vote if you haven't already. Also, local elections are fun and messy.
These candidates don't have handlers and high paid spin doctors and Michael Clayton type fixers. Their foibles tend to be pretty obvious. There's probably somebody actually named Tom Foible running for school board somewhere in the state. With all of that in mind, we've assembled an all-star panel of election analysts to zip you around the state and look at some of the entertaining races. Are you ready? Saddle up. Leave your comments below or e-mail colin@wnpr.org.
Listener E-mail from Jim
Ironically, I was able to catch some of the show on my way back from checking out the Russell Library for David Leff.
I think the reason people don’t vote is because they don’t know where to access information on local races and feel uninformed and therefore uninspired. I learned a lot in just 20 minutes. InHebron
Listener E-mail from Christopher
Madame Secretary may want to note that Ella Grasso was elected 35 years ago this week...November 5, 1974...
Listener E-mail from Karl
There have been several respectable (i.e. non-Rasmussen, non-Zogby) polls out saying that voters care more about "good legislation", or the public option (by name), rather than "working with the opposition" or getting Republican votes for any particular bill in Congress.
As one of your guests equated "no hope and change" with "letting the shrinking minority whose actual policies are wildly unpopular do everything they want", I would like to know: Why is this idea of comity and trying to work with the hissy-fitting little brats so overvalued by the media?
Listener E-mail from Anna-leila
I just voted in Hamden and was somewhat alarmed to note that the "magic pen"
used to mark the ballot could be a serious vector for spreading influenza.
This could be attenuated by swabbing the pen between voters, or having a Purell type product available for voters to clean their hands before and after using the pen. I spoke with the person in charge of the polling station...she said she did not have sanitizing materials available, but she would pass my concern onto the Registrar of Voters.
I know Susan Bysiewicz will be on your show today. Unfortunately I will be in a meeting at showtime and not able to call in. Can you please share my concerns with Secretary Bysiewicz. It's probably too late to implement a sanitizing procedure for voters today (other then perhaps encouraging folks to clean their hands before and after using the pen). It would be wonderful if the Secretary of State's office and the Department of Public Health could collaborate on a prevention intervention prior to the next election.
many thanks,
Anna-leila