I think
Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2024 9:07 pm
I think they should switch things up and give us the day after the election off. I'm going to be up late tonight, looks like.
Do you have an opinion, as someone in the race, whether it is a smart move for voters to wade through pages of unopposed candidates? I don't care about their parties; it takes two clicks or taps to vote for these folks or to skip over them, so why have them on the ballot?
My county is controlled by the democrat machine. I have no County or State representation. Every county and state position is controlled by democrats. They appoint democrats. They hire democrats. Their staff hires democrats. They recruit democrats for volunteer positions and ignore republicans. And they are assured of a great many democrat votes whether they campaign or not. Seeing the unopposed races on the ballot reminds me, at least, of that fact.Ritterskoop wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 1:33 pmDo you have an opinion, as someone in the race, whether it is a smart move for voters to wade through pages of unopposed candidates? I don't care about their parties; it takes two clicks or taps to vote for these folks or to skip over them, so why have them on the ballot?
I ask with all the best of intentions of wanting to learn.
They have to get at least one vote to be elected, else they tie with everyone else. And there could be write-ins. Not voting for them could and should be viewed as a protest against. I always go down the ballot. I had many uncontested races, including my US Representative Roger Williams. He got 100% of the 262,087 votes cast. No write-ins.Ritterskoop wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 1:33 pmDo you have an opinion, as someone in the race, whether it is a smart move for voters to wade through pages of unopposed candidates? I don't care about their parties; it takes two clicks or taps to vote for these folks or to skip over them, so why have them on the ballot?
I ask with all the best of intentions of wanting to learn.
Well, first let me say, this is Montana. We don't have 'pages of unopposed candidates' - one page ballot, front and back. No 'clicks or taps' either, it's a hand-filled ballot.Ritterskoop wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 1:33 pmDo you have an opinion, as someone in the race, whether it is a smart move for voters to wade through pages of unopposed candidates? I don't care about their parties; it takes two clicks or taps to vote for these folks or to skip over them, so why have them on the ballot?
I ask with all the best of intentions of wanting to learn.
The notion of write-ins is the answer, thanks. For the record, I did in fact vote for all of the unopposed judges on my ballot. But I saw that it was tiring on my 88-year-old roommate, is why I asked.tlynn78 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 2:26 pmWell, first let me say, this is Montana. We don't have 'pages of unopposed candidates' - one page ballot, front and back. No 'clicks or taps' either, it's a hand-filled ballot.Ritterskoop wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 1:33 pmDo you have an opinion, as someone in the race, whether it is a smart move for voters to wade through pages of unopposed candidates? I don't care about their parties; it takes two clicks or taps to vote for these folks or to skip over them, so why have them on the ballot?
I ask with all the best of intentions of wanting to learn.
Why have them? Well I imagine that it is possible to - i guess it would be called 'fail to confirm' or some such. In my case the choice was me or a write-in. In the case of the judges, it was a yes or no to retain and I think there was a space for a write-in candidate.
I've never seen an unopposed judicial candidate get more 'no' votes than 'yes' votes, although all four got well over 10k 'no' votes. I have no idea what would happen in that case. I do know of a Clerk in a (much) smaller county who won a write-in campaign.
While I don't particularly like being at the back end of the ballot, I think it makes sense.
I get the tediousness of wading through a lot, but it must be as it's laid out in the state's constitution and statute.
Indeed.Ritterskoop wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:04 pmThe notion of write-ins is the answer, thanks. For the record, I did in fact vote for all of the unopposed judges on my ballot. But I saw that it was tiring on my 88-year-old roommate, is why I asked.tlynn78 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 2:26 pmWell, first let me say, this is Montana. We don't have 'pages of unopposed candidates' - one page ballot, front and back. No 'clicks or taps' either, it's a hand-filled ballot.Ritterskoop wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2024 1:33 pm
Do you have an opinion, as someone in the race, whether it is a smart move for voters to wade through pages of unopposed candidates? I don't care about their parties; it takes two clicks or taps to vote for these folks or to skip over them, so why have them on the ballot?
I ask with all the best of intentions of wanting to learn.
Why have them? Well I imagine that it is possible to - i guess it would be called 'fail to confirm' or some such. In my case the choice was me or a write-in. In the case of the judges, it was a yes or no to retain and I think there was a space for a write-in candidate.
I've never seen an unopposed judicial candidate get more 'no' votes than 'yes' votes, although all four got well over 10k 'no' votes. I have no idea what would happen in that case. I do know of a Clerk in a (much) smaller county who won a write-in campaign.
While I don't particularly like being at the back end of the ballot, I think it makes sense.
I get the tediousness of wading through a lot, but it must be as it's laid out in the state's constitution and statute.
We can make small sacrifices for a thriving democracy.