Machines are Oiled with Apathy
While some Chicago White Sox fans celebrated the home opener against the Kansas City Royals, there were other events occurring in the Chicago area and elsewhere all over the country that received much less attention: municipal elections.
I voted today partly because a former classmate ran for office in my town, but mostly because my town desperately needs a change from the selfishly inept leadership that presently runs it. What bothers me is in a town of about 15,000 where approximately 70% are of voting age (11,000 potential voters) only two thousand people cast ballots in this election. This is a far cry form the nearly 7,000 ballots cast fourteen months ago in the 2008 Illinois primary contest.
It is reasonable to speculate that the severe drop in voter turnout stems from election fatigue, especially if there is a hotly contested seat for federal office: president, senator, or (U.S. House) representative. I wonder whether or not this possibility factored into the decision to make municipal elections fall in odd-numbered years rather than during presidential and/or mid term Congressional election cycles. I believe those decisions were made so it would be easier for incumbents to maintain their power. Having all elections run concurrently would benefit the constituents in their individual communities (familiar with the saying, "All politics is local"?).
It would force the municipal candidates to become more active since people are already keen for the bigger, seemingly more important, up-ticket races for president, senator, or governor. It would reduce the likelihood that machines, prone to corruption and graft, could form since off-year elections are generally settled by the politically connected few rather than by the many. Thirdly, even though this would increase the amount of political advertising during federal election cycles this would be offset by an absence of those tiresome ads, complete with smears, distortions and creepy "Halloween-esque" piano music.
I would like to see some changes in how municipal elections operate in this country. It could make political machines grind to a halt for lack of lubrication.
I voted today partly because a former classmate ran for office in my town, but mostly because my town desperately needs a change from the selfishly inept leadership that presently runs it. What bothers me is in a town of about 15,000 where approximately 70% are of voting age (11,000 potential voters) only two thousand people cast ballots in this election. This is a far cry form the nearly 7,000 ballots cast fourteen months ago in the 2008 Illinois primary contest.
It is reasonable to speculate that the severe drop in voter turnout stems from election fatigue, especially if there is a hotly contested seat for federal office: president, senator, or (U.S. House) representative. I wonder whether or not this possibility factored into the decision to make municipal elections fall in odd-numbered years rather than during presidential and/or mid term Congressional election cycles. I believe those decisions were made so it would be easier for incumbents to maintain their power. Having all elections run concurrently would benefit the constituents in their individual communities (familiar with the saying, "All politics is local"?).
It would force the municipal candidates to become more active since people are already keen for the bigger, seemingly more important, up-ticket races for president, senator, or governor. It would reduce the likelihood that machines, prone to corruption and graft, could form since off-year elections are generally settled by the politically connected few rather than by the many. Thirdly, even though this would increase the amount of political advertising during federal election cycles this would be offset by an absence of those tiresome ads, complete with smears, distortions and creepy "Halloween-esque" piano music.
I would like to see some changes in how municipal elections operate in this country. It could make political machines grind to a halt for lack of lubrication.
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