--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Jim" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "SkipDragon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > Voter turnout is significantly lower in off-cycle municipal elections
> > than in general elections. Need we say more? One of the overriding
> > problems with Asbury is an appalling lack of citizen involvement;{YOU MAKE
> > A GOOD POINT SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET INVOLVE WITH ANYHING.SOME WILL GET
> > INVOLVEED IN THINGS BUT DON'T VOTE FOR WHAT EVER REASON.MAYBE THEY BEEN
> > ARRESTED IN THE PAST.SOME WILL BE AT EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING WITH
> > NEGATIVE REMARKS LIVE HERE YEAR ROUND & DON'T VOTE.SOME OF THE THINGS THEY
> > SAY WILL BENEFIT THE CITY BUT DON'T HELP GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN OFFICE.MY
> > PAST COMMANDER IN THE VFW & STATE COMMANDER VFW JOE SCOTT WWII HAD A MUSIC
> > STORE/TV WITH HIS HIS FATHER WWI IN ASBURY FOR YEARS HE SAID THE SAME THING
> > LACK OF CITZEN INVOLMENT.AND PEOPLE COME HERE FOR A COUPLE YEARS BUY
> > PROPERTY MAKE PROMISES TO THE CITY & TAKE OF & LEAVE THE CITY WITH
> > PROBLEMS.NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE GET OUT THERE TO VOTE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN OFFICE
> > } JAMES GRABE
> > which results in a sort of Russian roulette electoral contest, an
> > elected that owes its existence more to fate than process and the sort
> > of secrecy and back room deal making that today's norm. 1700, 2500
> > who cares; it's too few for a city of 17,000.
> >
> > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Asbury Park ..............May 2000 election............. only about
> > 1,700
> > > residents voted. Each A P city council person were able to win
> > their seat with
> > > less than 600 votes.
> > > Will the voting minority disenfranchised thousands of residents
> > again?
> > >
> > > Monday Letters to the Press
> > >
> > > Published in the Asbury Park Press 02/21/05
> > > May elections lower turnout
> > > Jackson's Charter Study Commission officially sits with a fact-finding
> > > mission before it: To recommend a change, or no change, to the
> > municipal charter.
> > > If a change is recommended, the commission will have to decide on
> > the timing
> > > of the municipal election. The only options are to include municipal
> > offices
> > > on the general election ballot in November or a special municipal
> > election in
> > > May.
> > >
> > > Based upon an extensive review of data derived from a variety of
> > sources
> > > including the county clerk's office, Board of Elections, Department
> > of Planning
> > > and the U.S. Census Bureau, I ask the commission to rule out holding
> > > municipal elections in May.
> > >
> > > I reviewed voter turnout data for the six municipalities in Ocean
> > County
> > > operating under nonpartisan forms of government with May elections
> > and compared
> > > that data to the 27 municipalities with local elections held in
> > November. I
> > > contrasted May election voter turnout against county-wide turnout
> > results for
> > > 2002, 2003 and 2004.
> > >
> > > Voter turnout is significantly lower in off-cycle municipal
> > elections as
> > > compared with those in the general election. For example, the 2004
> > general
> > > election turnout for Ocean County as a whole was about 73 percent.
> > That same year,
> > > the combined average voter turnout in all May municipal elections
> > was 8
> > > percent. In 2002, the turnouts were 47 percent in November and
> > about 30 percent
> > > in May.
> > >
> > > With municipal elections in May, thousands of voters will be
> > disenfranchised
> > > and the "informed minority" will be able to exert undue and imbalanced
> > > influence over elections, elected officials and public policy.
> > > Curtis M. Briggs
> > > JACKSON
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