tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503999947184065479.post2811639408009101072..comments2023-07-19T07:55:34.205-07:00Comments on Spartan Considerations: 2014 Columbia Village Elections Re-Cap (with Suggestions)Spartan Considerationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09061925561747330138noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503999947184065479.post-81972573929679498942014-04-29T20:35:27.908-07:002014-04-29T20:35:27.908-07:00Joan - I absolutely agree regarding the challenge ...Joan - I absolutely agree regarding the challenge of getting residents to understand/care about/vote in our elections. <br /><br />It is heartening to know that bold experimentation is occurring. Even if the results are mixed or inconclusive, the mere fact that different attractions or incentives are being tried is encouraging. Otherwise, the torpor sets in...quorums would become harder to obtain, elections would increasingly be decided by small, angry, narrowly-focused voting blocs, and the average resident would become more alienated from the CA.<br /><br />At least that is one scenario. <br /><br />I imagine it will take some combination of events and offerings to enhance voter turnout. The key is to keep identifying possibilities and testing them out. Spartan Considerationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09061925561747330138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503999947184065479.post-90470454776965592222014-04-29T13:43:14.428-07:002014-04-29T13:43:14.428-07:00Points well taken. Getting out the vote is always...Points well taken. Getting out the vote is always difficult in a democracy, but the alternatives are not acceptable. Kudos those community dedicated folks for working to get more people to the polls. My wife and I came over to shred some paper and take in an old printer for recycling and stayed to vote. We probably would have voted anyway, but it was nice and convenient to combine several tasks that day.Doug Lloydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09721384437534270489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503999947184065479.post-37397062568589593492014-04-29T11:01:23.490-07:002014-04-29T11:01:23.490-07:00In Hickory Ridge, we have tried most of your sugge...In Hickory Ridge, we have tried most of your suggestions.<br /><br />Two years ago, we tried an "Early Voting Extravaganza" a full week before election day. We had games, giveaways and food. It was lots of fun and we had folks of all ages in attendance, but we had no significant change in the number of voters. We also tried a couple of times to have voting the night before at the village center. We even had a band and face-painting. People had fun and yet we noticed no difference in the number of people voting. Every year we have a "guess the jelly beans in the jar" contest with a$50 prize for the winner. Doesn't really make a difference. We have had a flea market in the parking lot on election day for many years. So what!<br /><br />This year, for the first time in awhile, we made quorum. The difference was (1) an actual race for all positions, (2) we moved our shredding event which attracts a crowd to the same day, (3) lots of use of social media. <br /><br />As for ballots, each village does something different with getting ballots to their residents. I'm not convinced that anything really works. <br /><br />The most significant issue to me is the number of people who tried to vote who either (1) live in an outparcel and didn't know that they can't vote or (2) live in a different village and tried to vote in Hickory Ridge. <br /><br />There is a lot of work to be done before people pay attention to our elections. Joan Lancoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350909953801425799noreply@blogger.com