Election Results Convey Message

Yesterday's election carried a few messages. First, the voters voted to retain Stuart Nicholson's steady voice on our School Board. I think that this was the right choice.

However, the vote carried another message, one that has nothing to do with the administration of our school district. In an election without much controversy and even less advertising, more people filed absentee ballots than for our most recent presidential election. This should be seen as a rebuke against the shuffling of our polling places.

I voted absentee. Why? My old polling place was convenient and I liked voting there. I no longer have that option, and instead would have to go out of my way to the new location. Like a few thousand of my neighbors, I voted with my feet and sent in an absentee ballot. Worse, I applied for a permanent ballot and am not planning to vote at the polls in person for the forseeable future.

While absentee balloting is a necessary convenience, I don't think it is the right option for permanent balloting. It represents a continuation of a withdrawal from civic participation in community.

Worse, I suspect that creating an incentive for absentee balloting is the real reason for so reducing the number of our neighborhood polling places.

Jeers to the County for creating this situation and for not placing a priority on retaining neighborhood polling places.