Comments on: Scrutiny Hooligans Voter Guide

By: Bryan Freeborn

Bryan Freeborn — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:58:06 +0000

I agree with Low Key. I have talked with a healthy number of dems that are voting for Obama, Hagen, and McCrory, the dems down ballot.

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By: Low Key

Low Key — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:44:44 +0000

Excellent list. I agree with most of your choices.

I’d like to give a word of support for Pat McCrory. His leadership on public transit in Charlotte was decades ahead of its time. Yes, he’s a Republican – but not the mouth-breathing type. He’ll make a fine governor.

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By: At the workdesk

At the workdesk — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:45:36 +0000

This belongs at the top – front and center.

It is very useful.

I had to hunt for it.

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By: Matahara

Matahara — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:54:09 +0000

thanks for picking up the slack, when our brain cells are tired and shutting down

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By: Matahara

Matahara — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:53:07 +0000

Thank you for thinking, so we don’t have to ! hey wait a minute what am I saying

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By: Knot Karl

Knot Karl — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:23:28 +0000

I agree with the lack of qualtiy for County Commissioner. I was not really all that impressed with Holly Jones but she is at least passionate about what she believes. Stanley and Peterson will at least keep a seat warm and help us try to keep the land barons in check. I look forward to seeing K. Ray Bailey in action.

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By: 9-volt

9-volt — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:51:39 +0000

Thanks Gordon. There needs to be better local media coverage on local elections. I consider myself a fairly well informed voter, however, I am frustrated by the lack of unbiased journalism covering our local elections. The Xpress voter guide is the only decent coverage out there and is not useful for early voting. I encourage MAIN and the ACT to do a better job informing voters on the issues and candidates.

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By: Jenny Bowen

Jenny Bowen — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:21:42 +0000

This is most awesome and handy –
I am spreading it now amongst my many social networking blogs – for the folks who aren’t politico’s but want to use their local votes for the good of the people.

Kudos for your work and the great information you have provided us.

-Jenny

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By: Heather Rayburn

Heather Rayburn — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:14:10 +0000

Great work, Gordon! This is awesome.

Perdue – gah! Is this the best our team could do? I’ll vote for her with strong reservations only for the argument Doug makes. (Personally, I’d love to see Susan Fisher as Governor.)

Re: County Commission: Gantt, Jones, and Bailey definitely have my vote. As someone else suggested, I am going to write-in Cecil Bothwell if that’s allowed. I cannot bring myself to vote for Peterson or Stanley after watching them in non-action through the planning board, Progress Energy lease, and Parkside debacles. They do not seem to share the blue team’s values for progressive land-use planning or sound energy policy.

As for Soil and Water Conservation, I will vote for Jim Coman. He’s a very stand-up guy. As an aside, when Holly wins a seat on the County Commission, I believe the City Council should appoint Bryon Freeborn to the vacant seat as he got the votes for the position. It would be very disrespectful to the voters to appoint someone who was not elected.

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By: RHS

RHS — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:36:36 +0000

Sorry, but I will vote for Carol Peterson as well as Holly Jones, and K. Ray Bailey.

A Commission with Ramesy, Stanely, and Carroll (a distinct possibility) or any of the other Republicans would quickly undo zoning and other land use planning as a big giveaway to developers. I have lots of issues with Peterson, but I feel like I must vote according to the reality of who is on the ballot. It is more a strategic vote than anything else, but I think thatl I must do what I can to prevent a CIBO controlled County Commission.

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By: Doug Gibson

Doug Gibson — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:36:46 +0000

Gordon,

This is fantastic – thanks!

One more thing about the governor’s race – the governor has power of appointment for a lot of boards and commissions that are under the radar, and these can have a significant effect on policy.

Just as an example, the post I wrote about Troxler dealt with a commission that had been set up to study protections for farmworkers against pesticides. In the end farmworker advocates didn’t get all the protections they wanted – thanks mostly to State Ag commissioner Troxler. They did, however, get some significant improvements in some regulations, but that’s mainly because you had a lot of Democrats – appointed by the Senate, the House, and the Governor – who had listened to those speaking for the workers. Take away the Governor’s appointees, and you’ve got gridlock.

Election management is another big thing the Governor’s race affects. In North Carolina our elections are overseen by the state Board of Elections, and a Democratic majority on that board depends on having a Democratic Governor. Ditto for county boards of elections.

This is a big deal. Like to vote on Saturday? Absent a Democratic majority on the Buncombe elections board, you wouldn’t have been able to do that in 2004. The board’s Republican opposed opening early voting sites on Saturdays, and the 2-1 vote had to be appealed to the state BOE.

And this year the US Department of Justice (with an assist from State Auditor Les Merritt) tried to browbeat our BOE into a voter purge a la Florida and Ohio, but again our BOE chairman (with an assist from the General Assembly) pushed back with vigor.

Vote for Perdue with pride. A Democratic governor makes it much easier for better Democrats to work for real progress.

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By: maughta

maughta — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:24:34 +0000

Dan Brackett, if it’s the Dan Brackett I know, is this crazy insane guy who freaks me out. I work in a public institution downtown and he’s well known here for being really creepy and scary.

If there’s another Dan Brackett out there who’s not creepy and scary and is running for the soil and water conservation district supervisor, I’m sorry for impuning you. But if it’s the Dan Brackett I’m thinking of, you don’t want to vote for him.

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By: greenasheville

greenasheville — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:39:49 +0000

DO NOT vote for Carol Peterson or Bill Stanley!

Vote Holly Jones and K. Ray Bailey!

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By: RHS

RHS — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:18:26 +0000

It is going to require some serious nose holding, but I will vote for Carol Peterson for County Commission simply because of her support on issues of land use planning something that any of the four Republicans would actively work to undo. I will not, however, be voting for Bill Stanley who, along with Nathan Ramsey (should he be reelected) and John Carroll (the Republican who seems to stand the best chance of winning any of the four Commission seats) would hand over a majority of the Commission to CIBO and the developers.

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By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:02:46 +0000

Thanks Gordon,
I feel the same way about County Commission. Still can’t let myself vote for Peterson and Stanley, given that they are both serial sleepwalkers.
I will likely write in Cecil and you if I can.

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By: AVL voter

AVL voter — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:52:34 +0000

Sure wish I had seen this very comprehensive & helpful commentary before I voted early on opening day yesterday! Definitely had my mind made up on the major races, but less info on board of ed and judges. Fortunately, my picks ran closely in line with most of yours. Thanks for sharing your analysis and observations.

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By: David Lynch

David Lynch — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:27:44 +0000

There’s a lot of “least of the weevils” choices on the Nov. ballot, but that’s what you get with a 2 party system – you have to choose between an orange and a tangerine when what you really want is an apple.

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By: zen

zen — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:24:48 +0000

You da man Gordon! Thanks. I agree with most and those i know nothing about feel you’ve informed me enough to vote meaningfully.

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By: bobaloo

bobaloo — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:01:20 +0000

Nice work Gordon. I’m going to throw up in my mouth a little when I vote for Perdue, but what can you do?

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By: varney

varney — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:40:38 +0000

Thanks so much, Gordon!

On the issue of character of Judge Linda Stephens, I received this email from a friend in Charlotte whom I trust:

Hi, All –
I have attached a link for a friend of mine, Judge Linda Stephens, who is running for reelection to The Court of Appeals. You’ll have to look at the very bottom of your ballot for the judges’ elections.
I am suggesting Linda to my animal-loving friends because she is someone who walks her talk. She has been on the board of SAFEhaven for Cats for a number of years. She manages several feral cat colonies. I think she single-handedly removed all of the cats (20-something!) in peril when John Kane started digging his big hole on Six Forks. Last spring her husband told me about the time Linda was driving to Rockingham for a meeting and found a dog on the side of the road that had been hit and was still alive. Linda (all, maybe, 5 feet of her), dragged that huge dog into the back of her car, getting its blood all over her business suit and, if I recall correctly, missing her meeting. The dog needed three surgeries. Linda saw him through them all and he lives on with her and her husband and the rest of their menagerie today.
That’s the sort of thing I admire in a leader — the “If not me, then Who?” approach.
For other details about Judge Linda Stephens, see the virtual canvasser below. Thanks for considering her.

And remember, you can do one stop voting (both registering and voting) starting Oct 16. Avoid the lines!

http://www.judgelinda.org/virtual_canvasser.php

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