The Chron provides some decent anecdotal evidence to support the theory that voters aren’t all that engaged in this election.
The deciding factor varied widely for many, according to interviews with more than 40 voters across the city during the last two days of early voting. While the interviews are not statistically significant enough to provide a meaningful idea of how the election will play out Tuesday, they do provide a voter’s view of an unusual mayoral race.
Experience ranked high among those who favored City Controller Annise Parker. Endorsements were cited repeatedly by backers of former city attorney Gene Locke. Supporters — and opponents — of Brown said they had been motivated by his dominance of their television sets and mailboxes, either appreciating his “blueprint” for Houston or feeling put off by a candidate who spent more than $3 million to get his message out.
Those who chose Harris County Board of Education Trustee Roy Morales said they did so because of his conservative bona fides, something the other three candidates — all lifelong Democrats — lacked.
Many expressed lukewarm preferences overall, calling their choice simply the “lesser evil” of the four.
There’s plenty of passion among those who are closest to the campaigns, but that didn’t spill out very far, for reasons we’re all familiar with by now. I don’t quite get the “lesser evil” sentiment, since that’s the sort of thing I associate with candidates that have significant flaws, and that’s not how I see the top three here. Maybe the lack of sharp policy distinction, which leads to more of a focus on personalities, is the cause of that, I don’t know. If that’s what you think now, just wait till the runoff.
It is so important to vote in this election simply because if one particular vote base of one candidate turns out “en masse” that candidate in essence will win by what really is default. Default of the voters. That’s not what elections are about. It’s bad enough that our primaries are often about winning by default. We shouldn’t allow that to happen to our elections.
I stood at the voting booth on Friday and looked at silly, sleazy and sane. I went with sane. This city, despite all the sudden denials by Bill White, is in a precarious position. It needs a new direction. Not the same old direction which both Peter Brown and Annise Parker will take it since that is the only direction they have taken it so far. That leaves Gene Locke. For me anyway. For everyone else depends on how many go out and vote. Better for whoever wins to have won by a real margin of voters than a default margin of just a few.
The only consolation is whoever wins, Bill White is gone. One of the worst mayors this city has ever had. He makes Chuck Rosenthal look like Howdie Doodie.
Oops. Multitasking. Bill White makes Chuck Rosenthal look like Dudley Do-Right. He looks like Howdie Doodie. Even when he was playing the Big Bad Wolf trying to blow down the nasty old hirise he still looked like Howdie Doodie. And more than any other time, looked like the pandering fool that he is. And 1717 Bissonnet will rise. Probably financed by the taxpayers after the developers sue the city and win.