Raise your hand if you're surprised by yesterday's election results?
I'm not talking about who won or lost. I'm talking about how many people made those decisions.
Yeah, I'm not surprised either.
It looks like somewhere around 15 percent of eligible voters in Delco managed to get out to the polls and take part in the Democratic process. It was the same across the state.
This comes just a few months after more than 60 percent showed up to take part in the presidential election.
I don't get it. Why do we care so much about deciding who is going to take up residence in the White House, but so little in who is going to run borough hall? Or our local school boards?
As a nation, we show an amazing resiliency when faced with any kind of threat or natural disaster. Look at the patriotic fever that again swept the nation after the bombings at the Boston Marathon. In these instances, we love to wear our patriotism on our sleeves.
But just a few scant weeks later, people went about their business, for the most part oblivious to what is perhaps the most patriotic thing you can do - vote.
I don't get it.
The numbers will improve a bit in November, when instead of nominating candidates for each party, we will actually decide the winners and losers in those races. Some voters, however, may be surprised that their choices have already been limited. That's what happens in some judicial and school races where candidates can cross-file.
Luckily, here in Delaware County, both parties held their serve in the races for two seats on the county Court of Common Pleas. Voters will have a choice between Republicans Richard Cappelli and William Mackrides, who will face Democrats Nancy Walker and Steve Chanenson. All four candidates cross-filed, but each party's picks won their side of the ballot, setting up the November race.
The same can't be said for voters in the Magisterial District Judge race for Darby Borough, Colwyn and Sharon Hill. If you are a Paula Brown backer, you just missed your chance, unless she decides to run a write-in campaign in November. That's becase Leonard Tenaglia won on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.
I'm not a big fan of cross-filing, but that's the system we use, so I don't blame candidates for trying to win both ballots.
That's exactly the kind of question candidates should consider when they stay away in droves during primary elections.
Comments