The State Primary election is being held today. You can find your voting location and who will be on the ballot at http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
The Democratic ballot that I will see at the Honan Library has two contested races:
John Kerry vs. Edward O'Reilly for US Senate
Michael Callahan vs. Roseann Trionfi-Mazzuchelli for Massachusetts Governor's Councilor, 6th District
If, like me, you don't know much about the Governor's Council, some more info is available at:
Wikipedia entry
2006 election results
State website
Representative Capuano, State Senator Galluccio, State Representative Kevin Honan, and Suffolk County Register of Probate Richard Iannella are running unopposed.
Why bother to vote when there is so little on the ballot? Your votes for the incumbents (even if they are unopposed) is a show of strength that signals to future potential candidates their existing support. On the flip side, if you write in someone else's name or vote blank it is a sign for future candidates that there are people who are willing to vote that might be open to supporting a new candidate. But more importantly, voting is one of the most precious rights that we have as citizens in a democracy. On your way to the poll, consider thinking about citizenship, community, and our individual and collective roles in society.
In the 2006 primary, Kevin Honan got 2,174 votes and others+blank got 756. Mike Moran got 2,663 votes and others+blank got 1315. Michael Capuano got 56,482 votes and others+blank got 28,569.
Update: When I voted at 8:00 this morning, I was the 6th person to vote since the polls had opened. There were 2 police officers and approximately 10 poll workers there which brought to mind some questions about how, using either the mail and/or internet, we could have more efficient and convenient elections.
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Thank you! I looked for this info everywhere (in order to prepare to vote) and could not find it until your site.
ReplyDeleteI'm a poll worker. At our ward/pct. we use 6 workers--two for check-in, two for check-out and one each warden & clerk (for problems, irate voters, etc.)
ReplyDeleteI can't think why a poll would need 10 workers, unless it was 2 pct.s
Further, I think we could--if the state allowed it--lose 2 workers (the check-out) without sacrificing anything--except maybe getting a decent lunch & dinner break (hours: 6 am - when all votes are counted & the tables taken down, usually 9 pm. Ugh.)
And in the suburbs, anyway, you do get paid. Not much, but enough to cover a sitter.