25% turnout for our city elections yesterday.

[ScreamingMeemie]

This really worries me. Happily, most of them were Democratic. Our mayor is staying and we got rid of a particularly icky council member. The smear campaign against our current mayor was particularly gruesome, when he is basically the only one championing for the citizens. Yes, I know we are a small city, but it scares me. Are they saving up for the '04 election? We have got to go to work and get these people out voting. It was a gorgeous day, nice day for a walk to your local precinct....

[1songbird]

1. We had low voter turnout as well here in Cincinnati.

There was a chance to elect a great grass roots activist to city council and he lost by less than 1000 votes. He was key in pursuing justice in the Timothy Thomas shooting that sparked the riots in Cincy. I wished people would realize the power of their votes. I just hope and pray that this is not an omen for 2004.

[soup]

2. Was going to say Ouch!

Then checked the local turnout here.
-2 city council seats and several charter amendments on the ballot-
Our turnout?
24%
Our household turnout?
3 registered voters-
100%

I think what surprises me most about low turnout at local elections is that it has a very direct effect on the lives of the people in the community. So wouldn't the logic apply that more people would care and take the time to vote?

One oddity noted here:

15,000 signatures on a proposal to qualify the proposal for the ballot. But only about 7,000 people voted for it yesterday.
Definitely a disconnect somewhere.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Maybe the League of Women Voters or some similar

organization needs to mount a PR campaign on the importance of local elections.

They don't get covered in the news media until after they've occurred, and if they're not on TV, they don't exist for the majority of Americans.

But in fact, it is your local elected officials who have the most to say about the quality of life in your community. The president and Copngress may decide if your kid is going to war or what level your federal income tax will be, but your city council decides whether the potholes on your street will be paved and what kinds of buildings will be built in your community, and your school board decides what your kids will learn and what kinds of facilities they will have.

[HFishbine]

4. Hmmm

Are you sure it wasn't closer to 20%. Sounds a lot like the elections in my city from your description. But then again, our reelected mayor is a milquetoast Barney Fife, rife with contradiction when he says people don't like things shoved down their throats, but turns around and touts his ability to work behind closed doors. So no, you couldn't have been writing about ******boring.

[ShaneGR]

5. 40% here in Akron

25% is normal actually for an off-year city election.