05.02.09
The case for political party involvement in local races
Even though there’s been a May election practically every year in Williamson county, this is the first in which you’re beginning to see the county Democratic Party mobilized in support of candidates promising a commitment to working families.
Eye On Williamson weighed in with our recommendations previously. Please take a few moments to research the candidates if you haven’t already.
Local Democratic activists have been effective at raising their profile, recruiting candidates and cash. The complaints from the right have been music to our ears. For too long, the king makers in the GOP have promoted a slate of dullards and crooks. The result is an extremist regime that seems able to only say “no” to working families and their needs.
In spite of the emerging local Democratic party, its impact on municipal and school board races has yet to reach the energy level necessary to truly drive change. Turnout has been slow and disappointing. By the end of today, somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 voters will have cast ballots in Williamson County. That represents a 1.5 percent turnout. If you haven’t voted (and apparently there’s a 98.5 percent chance you haven’t), after today you’ll have Monday and Tuesday available for early voting. Final chance to vote is election day, one week from today, Saturday, May 9.
Estimates for final turnout in this election have ranged from 5 to 15 percent, and it appears that we’re heading for the lower end of that range. The silver lining in the low-voter-turnout cloud is that your vote carries even more weight than usual. With barely one in fifteen registered voters exercising their right, your vote is effectively 15 times more potent.