ELECTION 101 - updated for the General Election on 8/5/10
Voting for the first time? New to the area?
We know the election process
can be a little mindboggling, but it is well worth figuring out. Local politics
can have an enormous impact on your day-to-day life. Remember that every
four years, all 21 county commission seats and the county mayor's position
come up-for-grabs. And keep in mind
that on
a 21-person commission it actually takes 11
people who think like you do to consistently come up with decisions you will
be happy with!
The Primaries are very important, as most decisions are made at that level around
here. In Tennessee, you can vote in either primary -- no matter what your party
affiliation is, if any. You just tell the workers which primary you wish to vote
in and they will get you set up. The
General
Election
is
August
5th,
and
that
will
also
serve
as
the
Primary
for
the State Elections in November. But for local races, this is where the winner
of
the
Republican and Democrat Primaries, plus those who are running as "Independents"
meet and
the
final decisions are made for contested seats.
Now that the May 4th Primaries have passed, you should know that Early Voting for the General begins on July 16th and ends on July 31st at three locations for ALL districts of the county. If you do vote on Election Day (August 5th), you will need to learn which voting precinct you are assigned to and report to that location. It should be on your voter registration card.
Tips for getting started:
1. Make sure you are registered
to vote, particularly if you have just moved
here recently. The deadline for registering for the General Election is
July 6th. Call the Election Commission to learn the most expedient way
to register to vote in
the
General
Election (August
5th):
(865)
273-5920.
2. Understand how local government works. Here's
a great booklet on that subject that you can download for free at the League
of Women Voters website. It is offers a really thorough explanation about
the many different government bodies within Blount County. Please note: Even
if you live within the cities
of Alcoa, Maryville, Louisville, etc., (with their separate governments) you
are still paying Blount County taxes and have the privilege of choosing
your representatives to the Blount County Commission. You can find out what
commission district you live in if you know what precinct you vote at by checking here.
3. Decide which local issues are important to you. Everyone
is different. Here are samples of things others have thought were important
over the past term - but you and your family might come up with completely
different ones:
(1.) Keeping a place for public input on the agenda in county commission meetings.
(2.) The mounting county debt.
(3.) Consistent community planning to maintain the natural
beauty of our landscape and prohibit the development of key ridgetops.
4. Research the candidates.
a.) Look outside the box. Literally! Unlike national or even the state, local
issues aren't generally partisan in nature, nor do they fit cleanly under most
of the usual labels people use. In fact, the city of Maryville is officially
non-partisan in its operations, and by state law, all county school board races
MUST be non-partisan (candidates may not identify themselves as members of a
party). So while candidates in county races do have a D, R, or and I, by their
names,
it will really pay to look at incumbent voting records on individual issues
and ask questions of challengers. You might be surprised.
b. Meet the candidates - or at least read how they've answered
the various position surveys that they have received. Go to their
websites, read their brochures, or even call them on the phone and
ask
them
questions. If the candidates in your district
didn't answer any questions or attend any forums, that might imply that they
aren't very interested in sharing their thoughts or hearing yours. Click
here to read the responses to the Raven Society's candidate survey.
c. Find out how the incumbents voted on the issues you've chosen as important
to your family and then find out how their challengers feel about those same
issues. Find the names of your representatives at the county website: http://www.blounttn.org/commiss.asp and
then access the meeting agendas. The first few pages after each agenda will
be the minutes of the meeting
before. Call their challengers and ask them pointedly how they would
have voted or will vote if they are chosen on Election Day.
d.) Assess your communication with the candidates you researched.
Were their phone numbers or email addresses clearly listed in the various candidate
resources?
Did they
have
an answering machine? Did they call you right back? Were they cordial, or did
they make you feel like they were annoyed at having to take the time to talk
with you?
Were they respectful, or did they talk down to you? If they didn't know the
answer to the question/s you asked, did they offer to look into it and call
you back, or did they seem "done" or impatient with you? Now decide
whether this is someone you can work with for the next four years. Will this
candidate represent your views at county commission meetings?
5. Get involved. Once you have identified a candidate or two you believe strongly in, perhaps you could call him or her and offer to place a yard sign in your yard, to pass fliers out around your neighborhood, or to even donate money to his or campaign. If you have kids, consider that this is a great way to communicate the importance of the election process to your kids and give them a sense of ownership and involvement in local government from a young age.
6. Lastly, go vote! And be sure to take your kids into the voting booth with you. Maybe even let the kids push the button for you at the end. Tip: The lines at Early Voting are often shorter than those at your precinct on Election Day.
