Post by moondog on Dec 2, 2008 17:44:43 GMT -5
I feel that most of our citizens do not have a cursory understanding of how our government functions, what our State and Federal Constitutions address or how the election process works. Most fail to understand the importance of the electoral college and how it was intended to protect States rights and prevent a group of States from controlling power based on their populations.
But, I always like to provide some evidence as well. In this case, a Grand Jury had to rule on the cancellation of an election in Sonoma. The election was canceled because only two candidates appeared on the ballot for the two open city council positions. However, the cancellation, though not illegal, did disenfranchise the voters and contribute to a growing air of distrust in our current political process.
There was one candidate who did not appear on the ballot but did declare his intention to run as a write in candidate. Because of the cancellation voters did not get a chance to vote for the write in, regardless of his chances of election. The Sonoma Mayor, Joanne Sanders said, "I knew nothing about the write-in process prior to the issue." In retrospect, she said she might have voted differently and allowed the election to go forward. “In the end, I had to make my decision and I take my lumps,” she said.
Well, here ignorance of the process actually hurt the process. Yet, she had the audacity to question the timing of the release of the report, on the eve of her swearing-in tomorrow, when she could potentially be re-named to the one-year post of mayor. And stated that she was never interviewed by the Grand Jury. She said, "There really wasn’t any opportunity for me to put my perspective in."
Well, that is all well and good. But, I think it is the people in the City of Sonoma who are going to "take their lumps," not the mayor. And what would she have said to the Grand Jury? Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Her perspective was she did the right thing, even though it did disenfranchise the voters and prevent the lawful running of a declared write in candidate.
It is dangerous enough to have regular citizens ignorant of the process of our government, especially in these times. But to have an elected government official be so blatantly oblivious to election law is down right unacceptable. I fear it is more common then we realize.
But, I always like to provide some evidence as well. In this case, a Grand Jury had to rule on the cancellation of an election in Sonoma. The election was canceled because only two candidates appeared on the ballot for the two open city council positions. However, the cancellation, though not illegal, did disenfranchise the voters and contribute to a growing air of distrust in our current political process.
There was one candidate who did not appear on the ballot but did declare his intention to run as a write in candidate. Because of the cancellation voters did not get a chance to vote for the write in, regardless of his chances of election. The Sonoma Mayor, Joanne Sanders said, "I knew nothing about the write-in process prior to the issue." In retrospect, she said she might have voted differently and allowed the election to go forward. “In the end, I had to make my decision and I take my lumps,” she said.
Well, here ignorance of the process actually hurt the process. Yet, she had the audacity to question the timing of the release of the report, on the eve of her swearing-in tomorrow, when she could potentially be re-named to the one-year post of mayor. And stated that she was never interviewed by the Grand Jury. She said, "There really wasn’t any opportunity for me to put my perspective in."
Well, that is all well and good. But, I think it is the people in the City of Sonoma who are going to "take their lumps," not the mayor. And what would she have said to the Grand Jury? Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Her perspective was she did the right thing, even though it did disenfranchise the voters and prevent the lawful running of a declared write in candidate.
It is dangerous enough to have regular citizens ignorant of the process of our government, especially in these times. But to have an elected government official be so blatantly oblivious to election law is down right unacceptable. I fear it is more common then we realize.
