If all goes well this week, Springfield will have experienced its LAST low-turnout primary. Less than 7% of Springfield's voters bothered to vote yesterday.According to City Attorney Ed Pakula, Sen. Buoniconti told him that the House was due to vote on the home rule legislation allowing ward representation to be on November's ballot on Tuesday, with the Senate due to vote tomorrow.
Buoniconti, who squelched Councilor Ferrerra's effort to do away with this year's primary, is quoted in the Republican, saying, "It's a sad day for the city when it's such a low turnout. Obviously, there's a major disconnect when people feel they don't have to participate, and it's not just in Springfield," he said.
Ward representation will change all this.
2 comments:
I don't know about ward representation changing the voting habits of folks who simply just don't care. I personally think ward rep will fracture and immobilize the Council's ability to get things done, city-wide.
I was at the Williams Street polling station for Karen Powell. I voted as soon as I got there at 10:00am, and I was only the 12th person to vote (on that counter machine). Outside, folks walked by me the whole time, entirely disinterested. One elderly woman - who came from the the retirement complex where the polling station was located - didn't even know there was a polling station there. Another woman walked by me and asked me "what was going on". I talked to the cop posted there, and he said the polling station was empty, with practically no one showing up.
I don't think that kind if apathy will change, regardless of the makeup of the Council.
And I also think the incumbents - regardless of representation - are always going to dominate in Springfield. It's just a large percentage know-nothing population (in local politics).
I would have voted, but I just recently moved back here from West Spfld, and missed the primary registration deadline by 3 days. However, I made the general election deadline, and trust me, I'll be voting in that.
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