The nobody cares election

Two years ago, before the petitions were turned in and certified for the upcoming special election (which was a mayoral and 2 commission seat year) I attended a candidates’ night that I described as:

the oddest candidates’ night of them all- 2 hours of people who may not be on the ballot, talking about what they won’t be able to do anything about if they got elected mayor.

via The non-candidates’ mayoral forum – Esrati.

I, being the candidate who believes in a well-informed electorate, went out and videotaped the very long, poorly structured event and put it up online.

Today I was sitting with Scott Sliver, one of the 5 candidates for Dayton City Commission that will have the field narrowed in May to four, and asked if there were any candidates’ nights so far? None was the answer, in fact the first is April 20th by the League of Women Voters. That’s just a few weeks before the election. None in BEH, Walnut Hills, Northern Hills, FROC, Patterson Park, McCook- not a one.

Full disclosure- my firm, The Next Wave is doing printing and design for Mr. Sliver.

Lucky for me, because I’m going in for surgery tomorrow, and won’t be able to carry anything like a video camera for a few weeks. Not lucky for voters who still care.

Of course these stupid runoff elections 6 months before the real one are just something to make running for office more expensive and to give the overpaid people at the Board of (S)Elections something to do. Do we really need to narrow the field? Instant runoff balloting would make this easy. Just rank your choices 1 to 5 and then a computer runs a little routine and says if your number 1 choice didn’t get enough votes, your vote rolls to your number 2 and so on until the top two choices have more votes than the rest. One election, and you never have to worry about voting for “someone you like, but doesn’t stand a chance.”

For the record, the five choices in the upcoming election, 3 of whom I’ve never heard speak in public on political matters. are:

There is going to be an “open seat” since Commissioner Lovelace has been allowed to placehold for the last three years after his many strokes. Honestly, he should have been replaced in a special election after he missed 5 consecutive meetings according to the charter. Instead he took half a year off and then some. I’d like to give you more insight on the above candidates- but I can’t. No candidates nights. Lame-o websites.

I’m voting for Sliver, one vote, at this point. It’s called “plonking” around here- and it makes sure your vote doesn’t counterbalance by giving the guy who could come in above you that chance. As I’ve said earlier, I’ve known Scott for 25+ years, when we both started our own small businesses in the advertising field at the same time. He later closed up shop to become the touchy-feely pastor who feeds poor families in need.

After the League of Women Voters candidates’ night- I may consider Shaw or Fairchild. Rountree was just elected to School Board. I don’t like quitters, ever. Plus, I’m terrified who they may choose over much better qualified candidates to replace her (she was in the field of 8 when they picked William Schooler instead).

I’ve yet to see anything resembling leadership or real effort from Joseph who is a very nice guy, but a place holder on the commission. He’s been there for 12 years and has a very thin resume of accomplishment.

At this point, if more than 8,000 people vote in the primary (early voting is open now) I’d be shocked. It’s the election that nobody cares about.

UPDATE

13 April 15 Candidates nights:

  • Northern Hills Candidates Nights- Belle Haven School, 7pm  13 April 2015
  • Riverdale Neighborhood Association- Tuesday 14 April 2015
  • League Of Women’s Voters: 20 April, 6:30 p.m., Dayton Library Main Branch, 215 East Third Street Dayton
  • 22 April, 6pm Dakota Center 33 Barnett Street Dayton OH 45402 (off W. 5th)  Black Lives Matter.
  • April 26, 11:30 am Wayman Chapel 3317 Hoover Ave.

 

 

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