We just got back from dropping off two ballots (one of them mine) in the VERY secure drop-off container in front of our nearest public library. (There are local drop-offs throughout the Los Angeles County area, so every voter has the option of voting securely and early.)

I no longer need to be concerned about which way might be the best and most expeditious way to vote on November 3rd--and I also don't need to have any qualms about potential covid exposure during voting either.

One thing I noticed all over again, though, as I was filling out my ballot: I wish potential members of community college boards, etc. would raise a minimum of enough money to send out at least one mailer to the voters in "their" district, introducing themselves, telling a bit about their backgrounds, their philosophies as those philosophies apply to community colleges (etc.), so voters can distinguish between candidates.

As it is now, for four available seats, there are 33 candidates, but all you, the voter, know about them is their name and a short "employment type" description which is meaningless:

teacher/school principal
college teacher
special education teacher
homeless services provider
college education advocate [what is this?]
educator/academic dean
professional athlete/parent [this is one of the more descriptive ones]
community college teacher/educator
city analyst
community outreach director
legal advocate
homelessness liaison
K-12 school administrator
community advocate
business manager
student organizer
education consultant
entrepreneur/educator
community volunteer
community college professor
teacher/coach
data scientist/executive
non-profit project director
education/veterans advocate

And, besides their name, this is it. If you look each one up on the Internet, there is usually no further information of any kind available.

Nothing about what their priorities are, what they think the current problems are, how they would approach solving current problems, etc.

And, since these positions are non-partisan, you ("the voter") don't even know which political party they identify with.

I think voters ought to have at least SOME information on individual candidates before being asked to vote for them!

Mis dos centavos para hoy.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2020 03:15AM by Tevai.

I had the same problem. Why don't these people have a fricking website if they are running for stuff?

I had to dig around and ask people for information about some of the people on my ballot. There were some Independents that consider themselves too far right to be Republican. There are Democrats who are really Republicans but had better luck running as a Democrat. It was a lot to sort out, but I think I did adequate homework.

I hand delivered my absentee ballot to the county clerk and verified they had no problem with my signature on the envelope. I didn't know if my middle initial was included in their records when they match signatures, so I wanted to make sure it would not be rejected. After what happened in the South, where people got ballots discarded for a missing dot or dash, I'm overly cautious.

It feels good to know I voted EARLY with no Post Office shenanigans. I'm appalled at the variety of efforts to suppress voting. I only hope there is no further cheating trying to bypass the people's vote all together.

dagny Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had the same problem. Why don't these people
> have a fricking website if they are running for
> stuff?

Yup! How can any responsible person vote for someone they know absolutely nothing about?


> I had to dig around and ask people for information
> about some of the people on my ballot. There were
> some Independents that consider themselves too far
> right to be Republican. There are Democrats who
> are really Republicans but had better luck running
> as a Democrat.

This is a new insight for me. I've never before considered this as a real possibility, but I will from now on. Thank you, dagny.


> I didn't know if my middle initial was included in their
> records when they match signatures, so I wanted to make sure
> it would not be rejected.

I had this same problem, so I handwrote the version of my name (WITH a middle initial) they had printed on the ballot, which happened to be just below where I had to sign. I figured that, even if I didn't have a middle initial on my existing handwritten file, they would see that I was just copying their printed version of my name.


> It feels good to know I voted EARLY with no Post
> Office shenanigans. I'm appalled at the variety of
> efforts to suppress voting. I only hope there is
> no further cheating trying to bypass the people's
> vote all together.

Yes! My feelings exactly.

We used to get a booklet that had info on all candidates and any issues, amendments, bonds etc.

I think it is all online now.

Okay, okay. But what we really want to know is whether they gave you a sticker.

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Okay, okay. But what we really want to know is
> whether they gave you a sticker.

Yup!

It was included with the ballot.

(I haven't worn it though. Truth is: I've never worn the sticker(s) they hand out on election day. I don't know why....I just haven't.)

I'd love to see Tevai strolling down the aisle at Whole Foods with an "I voted" sticker displayed prominently but elegantly on her forehead.

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd love to see Tevai strolling down the aisle at
> Whole Foods with an "I voted" sticker displayed
> prominently but elegantly on her forehead.

Never happen....but I sure am laughing right now!

:D

They don't need to have a party affiliation. You just need to know their personal, non-party stances. Dragging the hideous two party system into everything does no one any favors but the parties.

Genuinely Non-Binary Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They don't need to have a party affiliation. You
> just need to know their personal, non-party
> stances. Dragging the hideous two party system
> into everything does no one any favors but the
> parties.

My reference to party affiliation was that (because the position is non-partisan) there is not EVEN a party affiliation provided, and reflected my frustration at knowing NOTHING about ANY of the candidates, despite my deeply serious obligation as a voter to thoughtfully pick and choose between them.

I definitely am NOT lobbying for non-partisan positions to be partisan-ized.

Me too!!
I voted yes on proposition no
I voted no on proposition yes
where it said for president I voted NO!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2020 10:47AM by thedesertrat1.