Turnout may not suck for Saturday

Early voting for the Special Double-Secret Amendment-Only Election tomorrow was higher than for the boring old regular election of 2001, leading Secretary of State Geoffrey Connor to predict turnout of about nine percent.

Voter turnout in the past six constitutional amendment elections has ranged from 6.9 percent (in 2001, the last such election) to 12.6 percent of registered voters.

Connor made his prediction based on early voting on the 22 proposed amendments in the state's most populous 15 counties, compared with the vote for the last constitutional amendment election in 2001.

"It is wonderful to see that more Texans voted early this election cycle than in 2001," Connor said. "Traditionally, this indicates we will see a higher turnout on Election Day as well."

In the top 15 counties, 3.7 percent of registered voters cast ballots through the close of early voting Tuesday, Conner said. In 2001, 1.6 percent of registered voters cast early ballots.

Connor said early voting is up in all of the top 15 counties except Harris. He attributed that to a Houston mayoral race that also was on the ballot in 2001 and drove up turnout.

This year's constitutional amendment election was scheduled for a different date than the Nov. 4 Houston mayoral election.

Remember, it was scheduled for tomorrow specifically so that all us Houston voters couldn't have an undue effect on Prop 12. Vote No on Prop 12!

Nine percent turnout, by the way, while large (about a million) in absolute numbers, is still only about five percent of the state's population. In effect, you're voting for 20 people on Saturday. Use that power wisely.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 12, 2003 to Show Business for Ugly People | TrackBack