City Government
Your Vote Counts More Than Ever This Year
November 2, 2009 
With a really small voter turnout predicted this year–no state, federal or mayor race in Boise–your vote counts more than ever.
Why? If voter turnout is as low as some predict–in the range of 15% to 20% of eligible voters–and with multiple candidates in some races, a candidate could conceivably win with as few as 5% or 6% of registered voters. When that happened last time, an ordinance was passed that a candidate had to win at least 50% of the votes CAST.
As soon as the incumbents took office, they repealed that law, making it easier to get reelected and precluding a runoff election for those who fail to garner 50%.
The legacy media including the Daily Paper, TV and radio have all done a nice job offering candidate summaries, forums, and endorsements, garnering them all hard to get GUARDIAN kudos.
Boise citizens have no excuses this year when it comes to voting in the city council election. The city has provided a neat new interactive voter map available HERE.
FROM POET PAUL
Vote by mail ideas are not new
It depends on your point of view
The election’s still fair
And the mailman won’t care
‘Cause the Post Office needs revenue!
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Nov 2, 2009, 6:35 pm
To all the candidates, especially those I support:
Good luck on election day! Thank you for participating in our government process.
To Voters:
This is your chance to make a difference. VOTE!!!
To Anyone Else Who Thinks Like Me:
Term Limits. Term Limits. Term Limits.
To Boise Guardian: Thank you for keeping us posted!
Nov 2, 2009, 10:57 pm
But I don’t want to miss my Oprah replay! What should I do?
Nov 3, 2009, 5:14 am
Please replace those currently on the council – we need a change very badly.
Nov 3, 2009, 11:05 am
Zippo:
Oprah is so yesterday’s news! Get ye to a polling place and vote!
Nov 3, 2009, 12:50 pm
My guess would be most people do not know the names of the incumbents. Truly a sad state of affairs when you think about it.
They will be mad as hell when they get their tax bills but will simply suck it up and continue to turn a blind eye to the possibility of new blood and a new way of doing things at city hall.
I have not missed a single election since the day I turned 18. I view it as my duty as a citizen to get informed and vote. I am now 63 and not much has changed my thinking on the subject of voting.
The weather is great so there is no excuse to not vote today.
Nov 3, 2009, 1:13 pm
Term Limits?
Why… We’re exercising Term Limits at this very moment.
Election Day!
God Bless the members of our community with the gumption and patriotism to stick their necks out and stand up for their beliefs and their communities, and those who schlep on down to the polls to perform their Civic Duty.
Now if the rest would just bugger off!
Nov 3, 2009, 3:19 pm
I’m always honored to exercise my patriotic DUTY by voting!
I strongly believe in Term Limits… and if it’s not in the laws and ordinances, I’ll default to the new face after 6-8 years. (Maybe 12 for a US senator – 2 terms.)
The concept of “citizen legislators” was an inspired notion by our founding fathers. “Career politicians” flies in the face of that notion, particularly when they’re safely enthroned by their pet special interest lobbying groups.
THANK YOU to concerned citizens who step to the plate and run for public office. And to my fellow voting citizens.
And like Mike Murphy before me, I wish those who do NOT vote would just QWITCHER WHININ’!!! (Voting is your License to Complain.)
Nov 3, 2009, 6:05 pm
Voted! I am so appalled at this streetcar fiasco, we need to stand up and let our voices be heard. No matter where you stand on the issue, $60M is a lot of money!!
Nov 3, 2009, 8:14 pm
The poll volunteers at my precinct (west bench) reported they had never seen voter turn out so low. Truly sad.
Nov 3, 2009, 10:23 pm
I’m in a household with five voters. I’ve had Dunham and Baumbach signs in the front yard for a month. When there was still more than hour of time left, I asked “my people” if they were going to vote … they hemmed and hawed and shuffled their feet.
I said “Even if you haven’t done your homework, why don’t you go and vote for those folks I’m supporting?”
They didn’t.
And that, I’m afraid, is the state of the community. We had 20% turnout at my house. They should be ashamed. No wonder we have such mediocre government, when there’s so little interest.
Okay… I’ve vented.
Nov 4, 2009, 12:49 am
i voted and it appears that those who received my vote have lost..
…
…. the race.
however, I did vote
… …..
Nov 4, 2009, 3:44 am
Thanks for the support of those who voted. I can say that we’ve had the best supporters. The turnout situation is a bit dismaying. We fought for months to get out our precincts. That there could be a 30% decrease in voter turnout is very unexpected. I expected turnout to be higher not lower.
We have had such active supporters from so many areas, canvassing for a month and a half. I believe that we ran a great campaign. I apologize for not being able to deliver this time. Stay tuned.
Nov 4, 2009, 9:08 am
Sigh, I’m always late to a good discussion, but better late than never, right? You know what matters more than your vote? Apportionment, or lack thereof.
I’ve said it before and I’ll saying it again, the population of Boise has increased by many tens of thousands over the last 50 years. The size of Boise City council, has increased by a big fat 0.
6 council members for 210,000 people? That’s 35,000 to 1 ratio, compared to the 50s when it was a 5000 to 1 ratio. Your vote is worth 1/7th of what it was in the 50s. Do any of you have an answer for this? Lucas? TJ? Maryanne? Vern?
Every 5000 having a council member seems much more reasonable. As it is now, your, our vote is completely drowned out in the cacophony of disparate voices.
Nov 4, 2009, 11:32 am
Boisecynic, I think what is needed more them more council members is that your vote count for your council member. When all the city votes for each council member your vote may be canceled out by someone in a different district. It would be better to have each council member live in the district they represent and are voted on only by the residents of that district. What matters to you may not matter to a voter cross town.
Nov 4, 2009, 12:28 pm
Lucas:
You delivered your message. Stay in the game!
Mike:
Term limits would prevent career politicians who forget why they were elected and whom they are supposed to serve. Voter apathy, absentee ballots/early voting and big bucks tend to favor incumbents. See you in 2011.