Every election important, some for more reasons than others
On Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2004 voters in Winnebago County will be going to the polls to vote in the fall primary election.
Many people have a tendency to blow off primaries because they think they are unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Primary elections are designed to narrow a race down to a couple of candidates for the general election in November. That is what will be happening in the race for the 53rd Assembly District as Democrats Steve Dedow and LuAnn Bird face off against each other, while Republicans Carol Owens and Richard Spanbauer do the same. Whatever the results in these two races, it's going to be interesting to watch, especially if you watched the candidates forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters in which all four of these candidates took part.
If you did not see it and are in doubt as to when it replays, check out www.ocatonline.com for replay times.
But another race that is equally important and that is being voted on in the Sept. 14 election is the contest for Winnebago County Register of Deeds. There are four contestants running - all Republicans. That means that whoever wins the primary wins the election. You will not have a chance to vote in this race if you plan to wait until November. All four of the Register of Deeds candidates, incidentally, also took part in the same League of Women Voters candidate's forum, though it lacked the "luster" of that for the 53rd Assembly District.
The only problem with this particular primary election is that you cannot cross party lines. You cannot vote for a Democrat in one race and a Republican in another or a Green or Independent in another. It's one party and one party only for this particular election. November's election, of course, will be different in that you will be able to vote for any candidate of your choosing, no matter which party they are affiliated with.
Some people are put off by the "can't cross party lines" concept and simply refuse to vote in those elections as a result. Please do not be one of them. Again, every election is important - otherwise they would not be held. But it's especially important because for some, their lives will turn on this very important election. In one way or another, they will either be "in" or they will be"out" based upon the ballots cast on Sept. 14 - either "in" office or "in" the general election come November.
So please go to your polls and vote. It only takes a few minutes and it gives you the right to complain or applaud a little more loudly about those elected to serve us - because you will at least have taken part in the process to help make a difference.
Many people have a tendency to blow off primaries because they think they are unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Primary elections are designed to narrow a race down to a couple of candidates for the general election in November. That is what will be happening in the race for the 53rd Assembly District as Democrats Steve Dedow and LuAnn Bird face off against each other, while Republicans Carol Owens and Richard Spanbauer do the same. Whatever the results in these two races, it's going to be interesting to watch, especially if you watched the candidates forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters in which all four of these candidates took part.
If you did not see it and are in doubt as to when it replays, check out www.ocatonline.com for replay times.
But another race that is equally important and that is being voted on in the Sept. 14 election is the contest for Winnebago County Register of Deeds. There are four contestants running - all Republicans. That means that whoever wins the primary wins the election. You will not have a chance to vote in this race if you plan to wait until November. All four of the Register of Deeds candidates, incidentally, also took part in the same League of Women Voters candidate's forum, though it lacked the "luster" of that for the 53rd Assembly District.
The only problem with this particular primary election is that you cannot cross party lines. You cannot vote for a Democrat in one race and a Republican in another or a Green or Independent in another. It's one party and one party only for this particular election. November's election, of course, will be different in that you will be able to vote for any candidate of your choosing, no matter which party they are affiliated with.
Some people are put off by the "can't cross party lines" concept and simply refuse to vote in those elections as a result. Please do not be one of them. Again, every election is important - otherwise they would not be held. But it's especially important because for some, their lives will turn on this very important election. In one way or another, they will either be "in" or they will be"out" based upon the ballots cast on Sept. 14 - either "in" office or "in" the general election come November.
So please go to your polls and vote. It only takes a few minutes and it gives you the right to complain or applaud a little more loudly about those elected to serve us - because you will at least have taken part in the process to help make a difference.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 7:44 AM
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