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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


9.16.2008

 

Poor show

The turnout for the primary last week was -- well -- pathetic. The official report of the canvassing committee published today pegs the percentage at 8.5 percent.

The number of Vermonters who cast ballots came to just 36,716. Two years ago, 81,276 people voted in the primary. Eight years ago, 122,437 voted.

Was it just that there weren't any hot contests? And why was that the case? Too few people wanted to take the risk of running?

There are a few interesting tidbits in the official report of the canvassing committee. Incumbent Democractic Congressman Peter Welch not only defeated Craig Hill in an intra-party contest, but also won the Republican nomination with 600 write-in votes.

Tom Salmon, Democratic incumbent auditor, also won the Republican nomination with 645 of the 1,017 write-in votes.

The Progressive Party had promoted a slate of statewide candidates it wanted supporters to write in last week, but only two received enough write-in votes (250 needed) to get their names on the November ballot through this process. Fearing such an outcome because of the low turnout, the state party recently met and nominated the slate -- minus Anthony Pollina.

Pollina was one of the two Progressives who won write-in campaigns, but Pollina will decline the Progressive nomination in favor of running as an independent. Thomas Hermann's write-in success makes him the Progressive candidate for Congress.

Turnout by county tell a story, too. Essex County had 16.1 percent turnout compared to Lamoille at 3.9 percent. Chittenden County, with its purportedly interesting contest among nine Democrats for six slots on the ballot, still had only 7 percent of voters turn out.

So was this just one of those dull elections or does this low turnout signal something worrisome?

-- Nancy Remsen

Comments:
McCain surrogate and economic adviser Carly Fiorina made a stunning admission today. Appearing on the McGraw Milhaven radio show in St. Louis, Fiorina said Palin wouldn't be qualified to run her old company Hewlett Packard.
 
The low primary turnout is the result of very few choices on the ballot.

No contested races in the Republican or Progressive party ballots.
 
Typical American apathy. While people in third world nations fight for the right to vote, Americans can't be bothered. The further decline of western civilization.
 
What were the choices?

Douglas v Douglas
Symington v Symington
Salmon v Salmon
Dubie v Dubie

There was one contested election for Lt. Gov -- two guys who don't have a chance of beating Dubie in November.

Why should I waste time voting in uncontested elections??
 
Anonymous said...

"McCain surrogate and economic adviser Carly Fiorina made a stunning admission today. Appearing on the McGraw Milhaven radio show in St. Louis, Fiorina said Palin wouldn't be qualified to run her old company Hewlett Packard."

Yeah, that was something, alright.

Of course, the HP Board didn't think Clueless Carly was qualified to run HP, either, so ya gotta take it with a ton or twelve of salt.

Yeah, that's shameful turnout.

"Why should I waste time voting in uncontested elections??"

Because this is the USA and the State of Vermont and your ignorant anonymous ass has the right and the responsibility to do so, deduce bag.

If ya don't vote, don't bitch.

Just which part of that is givin' ya trouble, schmuck.

Disappear.
 
Low turnout, and the not-ready-for-prime-time-players that run Burlington couldn't get the votes counted without seeking volunteers.

Prediction: soon you will see the words "Burlington", "election" and "scandal" in the same headline . . . just a matter of time.
 
"Man up. Grow a pair."

What a hoot coming from a 55 year old loser who spends his day one line posting abusive gibberish to blogs.

Let's not forget our little Jiffy's love of relating things to sports.

As near as I can tell he thinks that is supposed to be impressive. Then again he seems to think he is impressive.

7:55 AM, bit early to be that drunk isn't it Coop?
 
OK Jiffy now jump up and down like an excited monkey over my using "one" instead of "on".
 
Carly Fiorina also said that Obama and Biden weren't qualified to run HP - but guess what? That part was edited out by the "neutral" media! Do any of you leftist droids actually think any of the four are qualified to step in a run a major US country?
 
What exactly is a "major U.S. country" Bubba? That would seem to be redundant.
 
you know ... a major US country ... like Alaska.
 
My mistake - meant "company".
 
While such a low turnout is certainly disheartening, it may not necessarily be indicative of what is to come. For voters to be engaged, we must ask that the candidates engage themselves and tell us what they stand for, and how they plan to attack problems affecting their constituents.

Example: On questions of health policy, where do the Vermont candidates stand? How can voters find out? Go to http://www.yourcandidatesyourhealth.org/ and choose any of the Presidential candidates, or the Vermont candidates listed. You will see which Vermont candidates (in fact, only one) have responded to the questionnaire.

Information is the key to making a good decision in November, and if we can see where candidates stand on the issues, we may become more passionate about who we support! Ask your candidates to answer the questions from Your Candidates--Your Health, and to publicly take a stand on the issues, and then make your choice on November 4.
 
bubba..

"Carly Fiorina also said that Obama and Biden weren't qualified to run HP - but guess what? That part was edited out by the "neutral" media! Do any of you leftist droids actually think any of the four are qualified to step in a run a major US country?"

Bubbakis, 'nuff said. I'm in awe.

It's simply not possible to make your ignorant anonymous ass look any more dimmer, dumber, caseless and clueless than your ignorant Anti-American ass just did.

Feel free to provide any and all examples of news accounts of Clueless Carly's claims that McSame and impalin weren't qualified to run a major US Country or company but Obama and Biden were.

Gee, more bupkis from bubbakis. Imagine that.

Your ignorant anonymous ass does realize, bubbakis, that clueless Carly is a senior economic advisor employed by the clueless mcsame campaign, don't you, dimwit?

Please tell me you have at least that much contact with reality.

Or is your ignorant anonymous ass gonna try and deny that ya said what ya just said like ya did with your lunatic-fringe Hatch Act ignorance?

Ya really need to do a better job of keeping your ignorant anonymous trash lies straight, little fella.

Ya know, I've had enough warm up. You clueless-cretins can start tryin' any time now.

Frankly, it'd be nice to actually challenged by the ignorant anonymous trash community enough work up a sweat for a change.

Always a pleasure has become always too much pleasure.
 
Get a new line Coop. You're getting in a rut with the same stupid lines over and over again.
 
bubba said...

"My mistake - meant "company".

So, now that you've demonstrated you were lying your ignorant anonymous ass off, yet again, with respect to Clueless Carly's alleged exclusion of Obama and Biden in her idiotic claims that runnin' HP or some other corrupt multi-national corporation is more demanding than running the United States of America, you do realize that the Clueless Carly - like Phil "Whiner" Gram - is employed by the Mcsame Campaign as a senior economic advisor/spokesman/guru, don't you?

In other words, McSame thinks she knows what the hell she's talkin' about.

Obama and Biden don't.

Then again, either did the HP Board who axed her sorry, incompetent, gop-slime butt.

Again, some actual ignorant anonymous trash community competition would be a refreshing change of pace, bubbakis.

Always a pleasure, but you don't have to make it quite so easy.
 
yawn
 
Anonymous

"Get a new line Coop. You're getting in a rut with the same stupid lines over and over again."

Well, little fella, when facing the same ignorant anonymous trash community "arguments" over and over again, sometimes, I fall short of the mark and play down to the level of competition I face.

I'm aware of it and I'll continue to work on it.

Always too much pleasure.
 
We had no choices.
 
Anonymous said...

"We had no choices."

Clearly, your ignorant anonymous ass's limitations are limitless, little fella.

Always a pleasure.
 
Literally, there were no choices.

Going to vote in an uncontested primary?

The Progs didn't have anyone on the ballot.

The Repugs had 2 names on their ballot, for 2 different elections.

This primary literally didn't change the outcome of anything.
 
Anonymous said...

"Literally, there were no choices.

Going to vote in an uncontested primary?..."

Once again, your ignorant anonymous ass misses the point, little nameless-nitwit fella.

You vote because you have the right and the accomanying obligation to do so.

If your ignorant anonymous ass had kids, would you let them refuse to eat their dinner because they didn't like what was on the menu or go straight for their brownies without touching their broccoli while spewing some delusional dreck about the free market deciding as they head off to play grand theft auto 99?!!

If so, it's no wonder so many kids are morbidly obese today.

Then again, if you're that lousy a Vermonter or citizen of your community, perhaps it's best for all parties concerned that your ignorant anonymous ass refrains from voting under any circumstances, little nameless-nitwit fella.

Christ, schmuck, we're talking about civic duty and the right to vote here. Interesting or not, it's a bit more important than who gets to stay on the island or who simon thinks should move on to the next round of Amerikan Idle.

If you're gonna blow it off for Gilligan's Island, little buddy, don't be surprised when Mr Howell gets bailed out by the gops and your ignorant anonymous ass gets stuck with the tab.

Get yourself a case and a clue or get lost.

Dismissed.
 
Vote for Symington or Syminton.

Vote for Douglas or Douglas.

There were literally no choices.

I don't see how that single fact can be argued ... the sky is blue. The earth is round. There were no choices in this primary election.

There was one name next to each office on the ballot.

Only one name.
 
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