Taking a Break From Democracy
Tennessee people: Did anyone vote in yesterday's county primaries?
If you answered "yes," did you know anything about any of the candidates on the ballot? For that matter, what qualities to you look for in a local general sessions judge?
Ignorance kept me away from the voting booth. The television spots told me that just about every judicial candidate promises to be tough on crime and that candidate Mike Brown goes to church with one of the ladies interviewed on his campaign commercial.
Thus I was incapable of making an informed decision and did not vote. I don't feel good about sitting out this election, and my guilt was regularly rekindled yesterday every time I saw someone wearing an "I Voted" sticker.
Then again, I can't be the only one feeling guilty. Yesterday's election drew one of the lowest voter turnouts ever.
If you answered "yes," did you know anything about any of the candidates on the ballot? For that matter, what qualities to you look for in a local general sessions judge?
Ignorance kept me away from the voting booth. The television spots told me that just about every judicial candidate promises to be tough on crime and that candidate Mike Brown goes to church with one of the ladies interviewed on his campaign commercial.
Thus I was incapable of making an informed decision and did not vote. I don't feel good about sitting out this election, and my guilt was regularly rekindled yesterday every time I saw someone wearing an "I Voted" sticker.
Then again, I can't be the only one feeling guilty. Yesterday's election drew one of the lowest voter turnouts ever.
posted by Tinley | 4:07 AM
2 Comments:
Your concern to be an informed voter is admirable. I have the same concern. After not voting in 2000, I decided that I would be an informed voter in 2004, which i was fairly successful at.
Hopefully, your guilt will drive you to be informed come november :-)
You are a better citizen than you realize
I feel the guilt, too. I did have the unexpected funeral of a co-worker to deal with yesterday, but I should have already completed my homework before now. It did occur to me that the Church could facilitate getting to know our local candidates in a non-partisan way. My employer, a large university and hospital, did this for the last mayoral elections, including time for local representatives. I've always thought we should spend more time discussing with and about local politics rather than national. Sadly, most people are forced to hear about national politics so much that they have little energy left for local matters.
The one positive thought to leave you with is that yesterdays elections were only primaries. You will get a chance to research and wote for the final elected officials again.
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