Now that Town Dock has put the audio recording of last Wednesday's candidate forum on line here, I no longer have to rely on reports by attendees. I can hear for myself how the candidates responded.
That being said, I have heard nothing that changes my judgement. I support Benjamin Cox for Commissioner and Lori Wagoner for Mayor.
It's all about the future of the town.
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Saturday, October 19, 2013
2013 Oriental NC Candidate Forum On Line
Topic Tags:
democracy,
elections,
public policy,
town government
Friday, October 18, 2013
2013 Oriental NC Candidate Forum
I received a pretty complete report from Wednesday night's Candidate Forum.
No surprises.
Nothing happened to change my judgments in my last post. I will vote for Lori Wagoner for mayor and Benjamin Cox for Commissioner.
Voting shouldn't be about charisma or other personality attributes - what matters is policy. Who has the best chance of leading Oriental into a better future?
Not the incumbents.
No surprises.
Nothing happened to change my judgments in my last post. I will vote for Lori Wagoner for mayor and Benjamin Cox for Commissioner.
Voting shouldn't be about charisma or other personality attributes - what matters is policy. Who has the best chance of leading Oriental into a better future?
Not the incumbents.
Topic Tags:
elections,
politics,
town government
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Town Of Oriental Elections
Out of town this week, so no posts so far. But tonight is a big event in Oriental - the candidate's forum. And voting starts tomorrow.
With ten candidates for five seats on the Town Board, voters will face some difficult choices. My advice: don't reelect any incumbents. I thought about posting my reasons, but decided against it. My reasons have to do with policy, not personalities, though in some cases it is hard to separate the two.
I don't know anyone who follows town affairs who believes the present Board has done well.
I will vote for Benjamin Cox. He has the knowledge and skills to contribute valuable insights to the Board.
Something to bear in mind is, voters don't have to vote for all five commissioner seats. There are good reasons to vote for the one or two that you support and no others. There is also the option of casting write-in votes. I could be tempted, for example, to write in Lilli Stern's name. I think she is going to contribute a great deal to the Town, whether in office or not.
I intend to vote for Lori Wagoner for mayor.
Time for a new broom.
With ten candidates for five seats on the Town Board, voters will face some difficult choices. My advice: don't reelect any incumbents. I thought about posting my reasons, but decided against it. My reasons have to do with policy, not personalities, though in some cases it is hard to separate the two.
I don't know anyone who follows town affairs who believes the present Board has done well.
I will vote for Benjamin Cox. He has the knowledge and skills to contribute valuable insights to the Board.
Something to bear in mind is, voters don't have to vote for all five commissioner seats. There are good reasons to vote for the one or two that you support and no others. There is also the option of casting write-in votes. I could be tempted, for example, to write in Lilli Stern's name. I think she is going to contribute a great deal to the Town, whether in office or not.
I intend to vote for Lori Wagoner for mayor.
Time for a new broom.
Topic Tags:
democracy,
elections,
Oriental,
town government
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
On Rigging Elections In The West
How often would you vote if you had to drive 157 miles round trip to exercise the franchise? Not to mention being faced with racist harassment at the county seat?
Tomorrow at the ninth circuit court of appeals in Montana, the great-grandson of a Cheyenne who fought against and defeated George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn appears against the wife of one of Custer's descendants in a case over Native American voting rights.
The Guardian provides an account of what is at stake here.
It appears pretty clear that the dominant white residents of Montana (and South Dakota) have rigged the electoral system to make it virtually impossible for Native Americans to vote.
The plaintiff is a Northern Cheyenne and Vietnam veteran, wounded in defense of his country.
Personal note: my grandsons are Native Americans, and my wife and I have attended many Pow-Wows across the land. The opening ceremonies always accord special honor to both veterans and those currently serving in the US armed forces. In fact, I know no more patriotic Americans than those of Native ancestry.
Another personal note: in 1876, my great grandfather served in the U.S. 4th Cavalry Regiment in Texas. After Little Big Horn, the regiment was sent north to "round up" a band of Cheyenne and return them to their reservation. He subsequently rode with Billy the Kid in the Lincoln County Wars and is said to have served in the Indian Scout Service. I don't know the truth of that.
But I do know that across the West, Native Americans have been systematically impeded in exercising their right to vote.
The doctrine of White Supremacy is not confined to the states of the former Confederacy.
Tomorrow at the ninth circuit court of appeals in Montana, the great-grandson of a Cheyenne who fought against and defeated George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn appears against the wife of one of Custer's descendants in a case over Native American voting rights.
The Guardian provides an account of what is at stake here.
It appears pretty clear that the dominant white residents of Montana (and South Dakota) have rigged the electoral system to make it virtually impossible for Native Americans to vote.
The plaintiff is a Northern Cheyenne and Vietnam veteran, wounded in defense of his country.
Personal note: my grandsons are Native Americans, and my wife and I have attended many Pow-Wows across the land. The opening ceremonies always accord special honor to both veterans and those currently serving in the US armed forces. In fact, I know no more patriotic Americans than those of Native ancestry.
Another personal note: in 1876, my great grandfather served in the U.S. 4th Cavalry Regiment in Texas. After Little Big Horn, the regiment was sent north to "round up" a band of Cheyenne and return them to their reservation. He subsequently rode with Billy the Kid in the Lincoln County Wars and is said to have served in the Indian Scout Service. I don't know the truth of that.
But I do know that across the West, Native Americans have been systematically impeded in exercising their right to vote.
The doctrine of White Supremacy is not confined to the states of the former Confederacy.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Town Of Oriental Municipal Elections Begin In Thirteen Days
Early one-stop voting for Oriental municipal offices begins at the County Board of Elections in Bayboro in thirteen days.
Topic Tags:
elections
Thursday, October 3, 2013
German Elections
Interesting article in Atlantic about German elections. It describes a very different form of democracy. I think it has great advantages over ours. Germany's system is one form of proportional representation, where the voters vote for the party whose candidates they wish to see in office. It isn't about individual candidates. Parties select their own candidate list. The number of candidates from each party who win office in parliament depends on how many votes each party receives. Those candidates higher on their party's list have a higher probability of gaining office.
I think there are many advantages to the proportional representation system. One advantage is that it almost inevitably creates more than two parties and to form a government requires forming a coalition. To some extent, parties have to make nice with each other.
Here is a link to the article.
There are differences from country to country in the details, but proportional representation systems have much in common. The political dynamics are very different from "first past the post" or "winner take all" systems like ours.
I think there are many advantages to the proportional representation system. One advantage is that it almost inevitably creates more than two parties and to form a government requires forming a coalition. To some extent, parties have to make nice with each other.
Here is a link to the article.
There are differences from country to country in the details, but proportional representation systems have much in common. The political dynamics are very different from "first past the post" or "winner take all" systems like ours.
Topic Tags:
elections,
Europe,
government,
international
Monday, September 30, 2013
United States Department Of Justice To Sue NC Over Voter Information Verification Act
We have known for a couple of days that the Department of Justice planned to sue North Carolina, as it has sued the state of Texas, over new voting laws. What we didn't have information on is the extent of the suit.
Here is the latest information:
"The suit, set to be filed in Greensboro, N.C., will ask that the state be barred from enforcing the new voter-ID law, the source said. However, the case will also go further, demanding that the entire state of North Carolina be placed under a requirement to have all changes to voting laws, procedures and polling places "precleared" by either the Justice Department or a federal court, the source added."
Good start. Now let's extend the voting rights preclearance requirement to all fifty states.
Here is the latest information:
"The suit, set to be filed in Greensboro, N.C., will ask that the state be barred from enforcing the new voter-ID law, the source said. However, the case will also go further, demanding that the entire state of North Carolina be placed under a requirement to have all changes to voting laws, procedures and polling places "precleared" by either the Justice Department or a federal court, the source added."
Good start. Now let's extend the voting rights preclearance requirement to all fifty states.
Topic Tags:
elections,
state government
Friday, September 27, 2013
Voter Suppression In New Bern
They are at it again! Today's Sun Journal highlights an e-mail campaign by the Craven County Republican Party to stir up concern over a supposed need to purge the county's voter registration rolls. The article, by reporter Sue Book, makes it clear that the e-mail is contrary to provisions of North Carolina general statutes governing elections. The restrictions of NC election law that the article describes concerning voters presumed to have moved are dictated by federal election law, namely the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Craven County election officials got it right.
It seems worth mentioning that the State Board of Elections, now dominated by its republican members, also got the law right when they overturned county actions in the case of a student who filed to run in the Elizabethtown municipal elections. Neither that county board action or the one in Boone, NC closing a precinct at Appalachian State University, relied on recent changes to state election laws.
Stand by for more of the same.
It seems worth mentioning that the State Board of Elections, now dominated by its republican members, also got the law right when they overturned county actions in the case of a student who filed to run in the Elizabethtown municipal elections. Neither that county board action or the one in Boone, NC closing a precinct at Appalachian State University, relied on recent changes to state election laws.
Stand by for more of the same.
Topic Tags:
elections,
state government
Voter Suppression In NC: More Than Just Voter ID
Professor Dan Carter of the University of South Carolina has written a very illuminating article explaining what has happened in North Carolina in the past two legislative sessions. The article is here.
It is plain from this and other sources that the voter suppression
legislation in North Carolina is part of a national GOP scheme to
suppress voting by African Americans, college students, women, the poor,
and democratic voters in general. Carter explains clearly how this is
done.
Topic Tags:
elections,
state government
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Representative Speciale Doesn't Want Military Retirees To Vote
On Friday the 13th of this month, state representative Michael Speciale assured a public
gathering in Pamlico County that, unlike some of his colleagues, he
reads every bill. I take him at his word.
That's why I conclude he doesn't want military retirees to vote.
He
explained that voters shouldn't worry - there are seven different kinds
of photo ID's acceptable
to vote, in addition to a North Carolina driver's licence. One of them is a United States military identification card.
The problem is, what House Bill 589, the "Voter Information Verification
Act,"("VIVA") provides with one hand, it takes away with the other.
On
close reading, I believe representative Speciale's own retired military ID
does not qualify under VIVA as a valid photo ID for voting. Why not? His
ID has no expiration date. In the block for "expiration date" it says
"indefinite." No problem. Section 163-166.13 (e)(4) of VIVA says "there is no
requirement that it [a military ID] have a printed expiration or
issuance date." But above that, in section 163-166 (e), the bill says
"in the case of
identification under subdivisions (4) through (6) of this section, if
it does not contain a printed expiration date, it shall be acceptable if it has a printed issuance date that is not more than eight years before...voting."
I looked at my own retired military ID and discovered it does
not meet the new NC photo ID requirement. Had Mr. Speciale, who retired
in 1995, examined his own retired military ID, he would possibly have
discovered the problem. His military ID doesn't qualify, either.
1. Identification card for nonoperators issued by DMV. But that requires two forms of identification under DMV rules and the name on those ID's must be precisely the same. Some older women will have difficulty with this;
2. A United States passport. Outside of Oriental and Arapahoe, few residents of Pamlico County will have such a document. This is something middle and upper class people have, it is expensive to acquire, and not something the poor or working people are likely to have;
3. A United States military ID. There will be problems with retirees, as I have noted above;
4. Veterans ID issued by VA. I have examined a number of these and find they have neither date of issuance nor date of expiration. They don't meet the requirements of VIVA;
5. A tribal enrollment card issued by a federally recognized tribe. I checked with my grandsons, who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe. Their enrollment cards issued when they were accepted into the tribe have neither a photo, a date of issuance nor a date of expiration. Why would they? Tribal membership doesn't expire until the member does. One of my grandsons has a photo identification issued by the tribe. It has a duration of ten years. Renewal requires a visit to the reservation. The eight-year limit does not match with tribal practice;
6. A tribal enrollment card issued by a tribe recognized by North Carolina, that has the same identity requirements as DMV;
7. Driver's license issued by another state, but only if the voter's voter registration was within 90 days of the election.
The bottom line is, the list of other accepted photo ID's is useless as a practical matter. The requirement is really for a NC driver's license or DMV-issued identification. More important are the omissions: the law rejects student IDs, public-employee IDs, or photo IDs issued by public assistance agencies.
but rejects student IDs, public-employee IDs, or photo IDs issued by
public assistance agencies. - See more at:
http://southernspaces.org/2013/north-carolina-state-shock?fb_action_ids=673615692650253&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%22673615692650253%22%3A577690535627400%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22673615692650253%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D#sthash.rGk7k2ir.dpuf
but rejects student IDs, public-employee IDs, or photo IDs issued by
public assistance agencies. - See more at:
http://southernspaces.org/2013/north-carolina-state-shock?fb_action_ids=673615692650253&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%22673615692650253%22%3A577690535627400%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22673615692650253%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D#sthash.rGk7k2ir.dpuf
but rejects student IDs, public-employee IDs, or photo IDs issued by
public assistance agencies. - See more at:
http://southernspaces.org/2013/north-carolina-state-shock?fb_action_ids=673615692650253&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%22673615692650253%22%3A577690535627400%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22673615692650253%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D#sthash.rGk7k2ir.dpuf
Then why the long list? To give the illusion of options.
By the way, Pamlico County has no DMV office. A mobile facility visits the county for one six-hour period each month. A preliminary estimate is that nearly 600 registered voters in Pamlico County have no Driver's license. How is the DMV van going to meet this need along with their regular business?
Topic Tags:
elections,
pamlico county,
state government
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Names And Their Complications In Elections
My mother, born in Texas in 1916, never had a birth certificate. She had a driver's license, issued in Oklahoma in 1932, but didn't need a birth certificate to get it. Her name was misread by the typist who filled out my birth certificate. My parents were divorced and she remarried a young soldier in 1940. He recorded the marriage with the military but reversed the order of her first and middle names.
When I entered school in 1943, I used my stepfather's name, but I wasn't adopted until 1946. The school didn't care. Their job was education.
When I married, my wife took my adopted name but always went by her middle name rather than her first name. That was never a problem, through my thirty year naval career. She eventually started going by her middle name as her first name and her maiden name as her middle name. That worked just fine for a very long time. Then government bureaucrats started getting all hinckey about names and decided to start using driver's licenses as the equivalent of an internal passport ("carte d'identite) like other national governments issue.
My sister (first name Elizabeth) got caught up in the naming hysteria when the IRS complained that her pay checks, W-2's, etc. were made out to "Betty."
Every one of these perfectly innocent circumstances can lead to problems under the "real identity" laws.
Now Department of Motor Vehicles insist that every document give exactly the same version of the name. I might point out that this has absolutely no connection with whether the holder of a driver's license can safely operate a motor vehicle.
This is a frequent problem for women. Here is a recent article in the New York Times summarizing the problems for a woman who kept her unmarried name for professional purposes and uses her married name for private and family purposes.
This set of issues has now been brought into the artificial hysteria of voter ID. Republicans, who want to destroy the credibility of elections (when the "wrong" people win) levy charges of major discrepancies in voter registration - it must be fraud. These charges are usually based on computer matching programs, and on close (and expensive) investigation by boards of election, it turns out there is no fraud at all.
North Carolina Governor Pat McRory recently asserted that we need all these changes to voting procedures to "close loopholes that allow a voter to vote two or three times." There are no such loopholes.
In 2008 in North Carolina, more citizens cast votes than ever before - more than four million. North Carolina has an extensive set of safeguards and has its own computer matching system to uncover double voting. In 2008, the State Board of Elections uncovered 18 cases of double voting. On investigation, only one was found to be intentional and that case was prosecuted.
In a more recent case, a voter cast his ballot at one of his county's one-stop sites. Subsequently he realized he had not completed the reverse side of the ballot. So on election day, he went to his normal precinct and cast a ballot only on the reverse side. He was caught and prosecuted.
Since passage of the National Voter Registration Act in 1993, registration records in all states have vastly improved. North Carolina's records are among the nation's best.
Don't be hoodwinked. There is no election day voter fraud in North Carolina.
I'll have more to say later.
When I entered school in 1943, I used my stepfather's name, but I wasn't adopted until 1946. The school didn't care. Their job was education.
When I married, my wife took my adopted name but always went by her middle name rather than her first name. That was never a problem, through my thirty year naval career. She eventually started going by her middle name as her first name and her maiden name as her middle name. That worked just fine for a very long time. Then government bureaucrats started getting all hinckey about names and decided to start using driver's licenses as the equivalent of an internal passport ("carte d'identite) like other national governments issue.
My sister (first name Elizabeth) got caught up in the naming hysteria when the IRS complained that her pay checks, W-2's, etc. were made out to "Betty."
Every one of these perfectly innocent circumstances can lead to problems under the "real identity" laws.
Now Department of Motor Vehicles insist that every document give exactly the same version of the name. I might point out that this has absolutely no connection with whether the holder of a driver's license can safely operate a motor vehicle.
This is a frequent problem for women. Here is a recent article in the New York Times summarizing the problems for a woman who kept her unmarried name for professional purposes and uses her married name for private and family purposes.
This set of issues has now been brought into the artificial hysteria of voter ID. Republicans, who want to destroy the credibility of elections (when the "wrong" people win) levy charges of major discrepancies in voter registration - it must be fraud. These charges are usually based on computer matching programs, and on close (and expensive) investigation by boards of election, it turns out there is no fraud at all.
North Carolina Governor Pat McRory recently asserted that we need all these changes to voting procedures to "close loopholes that allow a voter to vote two or three times." There are no such loopholes.
In 2008 in North Carolina, more citizens cast votes than ever before - more than four million. North Carolina has an extensive set of safeguards and has its own computer matching system to uncover double voting. In 2008, the State Board of Elections uncovered 18 cases of double voting. On investigation, only one was found to be intentional and that case was prosecuted.
In a more recent case, a voter cast his ballot at one of his county's one-stop sites. Subsequently he realized he had not completed the reverse side of the ballot. So on election day, he went to his normal precinct and cast a ballot only on the reverse side. He was caught and prosecuted.
Since passage of the National Voter Registration Act in 1993, registration records in all states have vastly improved. North Carolina's records are among the nation's best.
Don't be hoodwinked. There is no election day voter fraud in North Carolina.
I'll have more to say later.
Topic Tags:
elections,
law,
public policy
Monday, August 5, 2013
What Experience Should A President Have?
Jonathan Bernstein posts an interesting entry on his "A Plain Blog On Politics" concerning the experience we should look for in a presidential candidate here.
The post was occasioned by a comment by economist Brad DeLong, who opined that we should elect former governors in preference to Senators and Congressmen.
I admit I have often had similar thoughts. And then I would think about our experience in the twentieth century with former governors in the presidency. By no means has our experience been uniformly good.
I thought the discussion following Bernstein's blog post was quite good. I particularly liked "Kylopod's" entry, summarizing the resumes of our early presidents. A mix of experience very rare today. Only recent exception might be George H. W. Bush.
Matt Jarvis calls attention to one 2008 contender for the Democratic Party nomination who had similar depth of experience as our early presidents and who did every job well: Bill Richardson. He would have made a superb president.
The post was occasioned by a comment by economist Brad DeLong, who opined that we should elect former governors in preference to Senators and Congressmen.
I admit I have often had similar thoughts. And then I would think about our experience in the twentieth century with former governors in the presidency. By no means has our experience been uniformly good.
I thought the discussion following Bernstein's blog post was quite good. I particularly liked "Kylopod's" entry, summarizing the resumes of our early presidents. A mix of experience very rare today. Only recent exception might be George H. W. Bush.
Matt Jarvis calls attention to one 2008 contender for the Democratic Party nomination who had similar depth of experience as our early presidents and who did every job well: Bill Richardson. He would have made a superb president.
Topic Tags:
elections,
government
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Voter ID Is Just The Beginning
We've seen this movie before. A couple of years ago, I called attention to the voter suppression effort in Texas.
Now Texas has to take a back seat to North Carolina.
This is all so familiar. Until the US Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional in 1944, Texas, like other states of the former Confederacy, held whites-only primaries. In 1960, when I attempted to register in Mississippi while I was serving at sea in the Western Pacific, the Washington County registrar told me they had received my federal post card application form too late. I knew that was a lie. I was the ship's voting officer and I knew that voter registration in Mississippi was permanent. How could I be too late for permanent? I also knew what the real problem was. There was no block in the application to indicate race. What if the registrar had inadvertently registered a black man?
Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear.
Now Texas has to take a back seat to North Carolina.
This is all so familiar. Until the US Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional in 1944, Texas, like other states of the former Confederacy, held whites-only primaries. In 1960, when I attempted to register in Mississippi while I was serving at sea in the Western Pacific, the Washington County registrar told me they had received my federal post card application form too late. I knew that was a lie. I was the ship's voting officer and I knew that voter registration in Mississippi was permanent. How could I be too late for permanent? I also knew what the real problem was. There was no block in the application to indicate race. What if the registrar had inadvertently registered a black man?
Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear.
Topic Tags:
elections
Changes To NC Election Law: Down To Forty-Nine Pages
I just printed off a copy of HB 589, as passed by the General Assembly. Here is the text.
It should be titled the Voter Obstruction and Suppression Act of 2013. The voter photo ID provision has received the most attention, but there are a lot more provisions that need scrutiny.
Within Pamlico County, there was concern about a provision doing away with the direct record (touch screen) voting equipment that we use and are very satisfied with. The bill had called for eliminating them for all elections after January 1, 2014. We had done a quick estimate and concluded the change to scanned paper ballots would cost the County about a quarter of a million dollars. Implementation of that change has now been delayed until 2018.
That's about the only moderately good news. Details later.
It should be titled the Voter Obstruction and Suppression Act of 2013. The voter photo ID provision has received the most attention, but there are a lot more provisions that need scrutiny.
Within Pamlico County, there was concern about a provision doing away with the direct record (touch screen) voting equipment that we use and are very satisfied with. The bill had called for eliminating them for all elections after January 1, 2014. We had done a quick estimate and concluded the change to scanned paper ballots would cost the County about a quarter of a million dollars. Implementation of that change has now been delayed until 2018.
That's about the only moderately good news. Details later.
Topic Tags:
elections
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Fifty-Seven Pages Of Changes To NC Election Law
The Senate Rules Committee today engrossed the fifth edition of House Bill 589, known as "VIVA Election Reform." Initial reports are that the bill makes drastic changes to election procedures. The current version of what had been a fourteen page bill has expanded to fifty-seven pages and can be read here.
I am tempted to plunge right in with my first impressions of the bill, which are not favorable. I'll have more to say after I have studied the bill more carefully.
I am tempted to plunge right in with my first impressions of the bill, which are not favorable. I'll have more to say after I have studied the bill more carefully.
Topic Tags:
elections,
government
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Why I Didn't File
I have been asked several times today why I didn't file to run for either commissioner or mayor of Oriental.
Short answer: my suits against the Town. Although there is no legal bar to my running for office and serving in office, had I been elected, it would be awkward every time the Town met with its attorneys to discuss the case. As a practical matter, it just wouldn't work, no matter how much I want to see regime change.
On the positive side, now that I no longer serve on the Pamlico County Board of Elections, I am free to talk about any of the candidates. I am free to disclose information to the public without being accused of putting an official thumb on the electoral scales.
Somewhat the same applies to Oriental Town politics. When I was elected to the Town Board in 2007, I knew that I would have to trim my sails to some extent in order to build enough support for actions I thought were needed. Every time a measure was voted on, I had to balance my personal opinion against the knowledge that at the next meeting, I may seek the vote of someone opposed to me on this one.
This isn't necessarily the same as what has derisively been called "log rolling." It is just the common-sense practice of picking your battles. If your object of seeking office is political posturing, it doesn't matter. If your object is to do things - to take action on behalf of the community at large, you need to exercise a bit of restraint.
I still want to accomplish things for the Town, but I am neither mayor nor a member of the Town Board. Nor do I seek those offices.
I admit I was more than a bit annoyed on March 4, when the Town's attorney, Clark Wright, explained to the judge that he should dismiss my complaint because I am "politically disgruntled" and running for mayor. I had never met Clark Wright in my life, had never disclosed any political ambitions with him or discussed anything other than legal procedures associated with the case. Nor will I ever in the future.
I may, however, now feel more free to disclose to the public the vast amount of misinformation they have been fed about the "land swap." I was more than happy for this to play out in the courts. But the Town has made it personal instead of a dispute about law.
I deplore that.
Short answer: my suits against the Town. Although there is no legal bar to my running for office and serving in office, had I been elected, it would be awkward every time the Town met with its attorneys to discuss the case. As a practical matter, it just wouldn't work, no matter how much I want to see regime change.
On the positive side, now that I no longer serve on the Pamlico County Board of Elections, I am free to talk about any of the candidates. I am free to disclose information to the public without being accused of putting an official thumb on the electoral scales.
Somewhat the same applies to Oriental Town politics. When I was elected to the Town Board in 2007, I knew that I would have to trim my sails to some extent in order to build enough support for actions I thought were needed. Every time a measure was voted on, I had to balance my personal opinion against the knowledge that at the next meeting, I may seek the vote of someone opposed to me on this one.
This isn't necessarily the same as what has derisively been called "log rolling." It is just the common-sense practice of picking your battles. If your object of seeking office is political posturing, it doesn't matter. If your object is to do things - to take action on behalf of the community at large, you need to exercise a bit of restraint.
I still want to accomplish things for the Town, but I am neither mayor nor a member of the Town Board. Nor do I seek those offices.
I admit I was more than a bit annoyed on March 4, when the Town's attorney, Clark Wright, explained to the judge that he should dismiss my complaint because I am "politically disgruntled" and running for mayor. I had never met Clark Wright in my life, had never disclosed any political ambitions with him or discussed anything other than legal procedures associated with the case. Nor will I ever in the future.
I may, however, now feel more free to disclose to the public the vast amount of misinformation they have been fed about the "land swap." I was more than happy for this to play out in the courts. But the Town has made it personal instead of a dispute about law.
I deplore that.
Topic Tags:
elections,
town government
Friday, July 19, 2013
Drama At The Board Of Elections July 19, 2013
My wife and I arrived at Pamlico County Board of Elections a little after 10:00 am today to find that everything was calm and orderly. Lisa Bennett and the newly appointed Board had everything under control. One incumbent Oriental Commissioner was sitting quietly at a table outside the office reading through the filing papers for nearly two hours. Perhaps in indecision.
At that point, we already knew that Bill Sage and Lori Wagoner had filed for mayor of Oriental, and ten candidates had filed for the five commissioner slots, including the former town manager and a slate of his supporters.
Two more candidates filed, both from the old village of Oriental. Finally the incumbent, Barbara Venturi, got up from the table, went into the Director's office and filed for commissioner.
So as filing closed, Oriental had two candidates for mayor and thirteen for commissioner. Here is the story from Town Dock.
If past elections are any guide, that won't be the end of the story.
At that point, we already knew that Bill Sage and Lori Wagoner had filed for mayor of Oriental, and ten candidates had filed for the five commissioner slots, including the former town manager and a slate of his supporters.
Two more candidates filed, both from the old village of Oriental. Finally the incumbent, Barbara Venturi, got up from the table, went into the Director's office and filed for commissioner.
So as filing closed, Oriental had two candidates for mayor and thirteen for commissioner. Here is the story from Town Dock.
If past elections are any guide, that won't be the end of the story.
Topic Tags:
elections
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Pamlico County: New Board Of Elections Sworn In
There was a brief but well-attended ceremony at the County Board of Elections office in Bayboro at noon today. This is the time set forth in North Carolina General Statutes on the third Tuesday in July of every odd-numbered year, when newly-appointed Board of Elections members are sworn in for two year terms.
I was honored and deeply touched by remarks of the new Chair, Jennifer Roe and the Director of Elections, Lisa Bennett. It meant a lot to me.
I think the County is blessed with a good board that will serve the voters well in coming years.
I was honored and deeply touched by remarks of the new Chair, Jennifer Roe and the Director of Elections, Lisa Bennett. It meant a lot to me.
I think the County is blessed with a good board that will serve the voters well in coming years.
Topic Tags:
county government,
elections
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
First Candidate Files For Oriental Town Commissioner
I just learned that one Oriental resident has filed to run for Town Commissioner: Tony Tharp. Six and a half more days in the filing period.
Topic Tags:
elections,
town government
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Pamlico County Municipal Elections
Municipal elections in North Carolina occur in November of every odd-numbered year. In case you missed it, 2013 is an odd number.
So you don't have to worry about the election for four more months, right?
Not exactly. As Town Dock reminds us this morning, if you want to run for municipal office, you need to file your candidacy during the filing period beginning noon Friday, July 5, 2013 and ending at noon July 19.
Even if you don't want to run for office but would like to see some new office holders, talk to others about running. Encourage them.
It matters.
So you don't have to worry about the election for four more months, right?
Not exactly. As Town Dock reminds us this morning, if you want to run for municipal office, you need to file your candidacy during the filing period beginning noon Friday, July 5, 2013 and ending at noon July 19.
Even if you don't want to run for office but would like to see some new office holders, talk to others about running. Encourage them.
It matters.
Topic Tags:
elections,
town government
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