I got to know Michael Muller during the Congressional primaries when he was managing Carl Mumpower’s campaign.  He’s patently conservative, and I’m a progressive Democrat. But we got along so well that we’ve been able to forge a friendship that transcends the political. Muller and Mumpower parted ways after the primary, and Muller managed the campaign of County Commission Chair Nathan Ramsey.  Michael’s taken some photos for my City council campaign while doling out a heaping helping of political insight. He’s sharp as a tack, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to post this piece. Michael left this as a comment in a previous thread. It’s too informative to leave languishing, so here it is in full:

A note to my readers: I’m pasting portions of a report I composed for a client a while back. Much of it is self-evident to political types, but was written as a primer for the uninitiated on the city races. Parts have been redacted (I hope all of them!) to protect confidentiality, so it won’t flow very well. Maybe some of you will find it interesting or useful, maybe not. I’ve sworn off politics this cycle, so here ya go…

MM

P.S. I have enormous respect for anyone, of any political party, who decides to throw his or her hat into the ring. It is a grueling, thankless process that often ends up in disappointment and regret. It takes a lot of guts.

---

Basic Facts (as of May 2009)

• There are 63,261 registered voters in Asheville.
• 32,657 (52%) are Democrats, 11,930 (19%) are Republicans, and 18,592 (29%) are Unaffiliated. The number of registered Democrats alone exceeds the combined number of Republicans and Unaffiliated voters by 2,135. The ratio of Democrats to Republicans is 2.5 to 1.
• Self-identified liberals and self-identified conservatives are the most likely to vote; moderate and unaffiliated voters are less likely to vote. (In other words, the more ideological you are, the more likely you are to vote). Older voters are more likely to vote than younger voters. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to vote. Regular churchgoers are more likely to vote than people who do not attend church. In Asheville’s city elections, blacks are historically less inclined to vote than whites, even when black candidates are put forth. (Blacks as a group reached parity for the first time with whites nationally in terms of turnout percentages in the 2008 general election. It is undoubtedly anomalous).
• Municipal elections are held every odd year. Turnout for municipal elections is relatively low, averaging around 30%, although the mayoral race increases participation. A record low turnout for city council primaries occurred in 2007 at only 13%. Although voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election was at a record high (71%), it is not known if this by itself will significantly affect voter turnout in the 2009 municipal race, although it could be well argued that a newfound sense of enfranchisement among progressives or a backlash among conservatives and Republicans could be anticipated.
• Mean Age of all voters is 47 years.
• Mean Age of Democrats is 49 years. Mean Age of Republicans is 52 years. Mean Age of Unaffiliated voters is 45 years.
• Median Age of Democrats is 48 years. Median Age of Republicans is 51 years. Median Age of Unaffiliated voters is 41.
• Of all registered voters: 55% are Female. 44% are Male. 82% are White. 12% are Black. 1% are Hispanic. (the difference is uncategorized)
• Of the 7,724 Black voters in Asheville: 6,439 are Democrats; 1,042 are Unaffiliated; only 243 are Republicans.

Summary

Owing to higher than average educational levels and per-capita wealth, Asheville voters as a group tend to be more liberal, politically engaged, culturally aware, and technologically advanced than in any other part of Western North Carolina.
Read More→