Who cares about local candidates?

[electionEZ_com]

In the last election i voted for my Senator and Congressman, but when it came to county clerk and retaining judges i had no idea who would be better.

So i am curious about 2 things....

1. Does anyone even care about these things?
2. Where do you go to get the info you need to cast an educated vote.

 

[Annie]

In the last election i voted for my Senator and Congressman, but when it came to county clerk and retaining judges i had no idea who would be better.

So i am curious about 2 things....

1. Does anyone even care about there things?
2. Where do you go to get the info you need to cast an educated vote.

Local papers and bar association recommendations. I think local elections are probably more important, as they effect your daily life and often property values.

 

[Avatar4321]

If people were smart they would care. it would filter out alot of crappy people before they tried for bigger office.

 

[electionEZ_com]

I agree that local elections are more important.
But as a voter myself, i have never called to local bar association to see what they think of certain judges.... to be honest, i don't even know how the judiciary system is arranged here (as in which judges i would vote for). I have never been to court.

I think that in this day in age people need a website that has all of this information one or two clicks away....

 

[Annie]

I agree that local elections are more important.
But as a voter myself, i have never called to local bar association to see what they think of certain judges.... to be honest, i don't even know how the judiciary system is arranged here (as in which judges i would vote for). I have never been to court.

I think that in this day in age people need a website that has all of this information one or two clicks away....

Right, and the bar association for your county most likely has the information online. Mine does:

http://www.dcba.org/

 

[Emmett]

Man, what cave have you been asleep in for 50 million years?

Here I'll help you out! I don't usually get involved with other's political choices but since you are obviously selling something or up to something (I'm not sure what), here you go.

Step 1: Next election day, travel to the location indicated on your voter registration card.

Step 2: Stand in line, listen to Lefties and Righties argue about who to vote for!

Step 3: Verify your ID with the nice white haired lady (unless you are an illegal, a homeless vagrant, or uninterested loser who was paid 10 bucks to come, the church bus folks will do it for you)

Step 4: Step into the booth and check all the Libertarian candidates on the list.

Step 5: Go back home with the clearest conscious of anyone at the poll that day.

 

[electionEZ_com]

I didn't see endorsements for particular judges on that site. But that may be out of season now....
That still doesn't help with city council, county treasurer, etc.

I am almost certain that the Trib isn't going to cover the Feb. 27 Darien Public School District 61 primary election in depth. But for the parents in Darien, that should be a big deal to them.

This happens all over the country, people only care about what Obama said about Hillary, not the people who determine their property value every year, or who is in charge of the education their kids get.

 

[Annie]

I didn't see endorsements for particular judges on that site. But that may be out of season now....
That still doesn't help with city council, county treasurer, etc.

I am almost certain that the Trib isn't going to cover the Feb. 27 Darien Public School District 61 primary election in depth. But for the parents in Darien, that should be a big deal to them.

This happens all over the country, people only care about what Obama said about Hillary, not the people who determine their property value every year, or who is in charge of the education their kids get.

Yes, the Trib does cover it, in the Metro section. Better coverage though in the Daily Herald. I don't know if Hinsdale/Darien has a local paper of the likes of the Leader in Glen Ellyn or Elmhurst Press, but you really should check.

Seems we are lucky to be in the same locale?

 

[electionEZ_com]

...
but since you are obviously selling something or up to something (I'm not sure what), here you go.
...
check all the Libertarian candidates on the list.

As far as selling something... that's less of the point here than the fact that i voted for Harry Brown (ya, i was the other one) a few years back
And if 'third party' and independents had the voice (ie. media coverage, financial backing, etc) people would be surprised that there are a lot of good intentioned people out there who really want to make a difference.
But no one knows who they are, and if people hear their name or label, they quickly pass them off as quacks.

Moreover, as i mentioned earlier in this post, it is hard to get info on candidates if you live in a suburb. Even the newspapers only cover the main city.

i have 2 goals-
1- bring more of the 3'rd party candidates to the public eye.
2- make local candidates more accessible regardless of where you live.

I spent the last 4 years working on what i think could solve this in my spare time.

So do i want to talk about it? For sure.

 

[electionEZ_com]

Seems we are lucky to be in the same locale?

I wish, i moved from NW Indiana to Utah

 

[Annie]

As far as selling something... that's less of the point here than the fact that i voted for Harry Brown (ya, i was the other one) a few years back
And if 'third party' and independents had the voice (ie. media coverage, financial backing, etc) people would be surprised that there are a lot of good intentioned people out there who really want to make a difference.
But no one knows who they are, and if people hear their name or label, they quickly pass them off as quacks.

Moreover, as i mentioned earlier in this post, it is hard to get info on candidates if you live in a suburb. Even the newspapers only cover the main city.

i have 2 goals-
1- bring more of the 3'rd party candidates to the public eye.
2- make local candidates more accessible regardless of where you live.

I spent the last 4 years working on what i think could solve this in my spare time.

So do i want to talk about it? For sure.

Cool. Then since you went local with Darien election, how about addressing the Tribune Metro section, the Daily Herald, and Press Publications?

I found articles on 'Suburban Life' ; Downers Grove Sun; Townonline... actually 10 pages by searching for 'Darien Public School District 61 primary election' you might wish to refine the search?

 

[electionEZ_com]

While that info may be readily available in Chicagoland, it is not that accessable here in Herriman, UT and i assume the same is true for many more areas.
While writing this reply, i found a neat resource on judges from the Utah Bar. It is just a list of interviews, not endorsements, but still useful. I thank you for bringing that resource to my attention.
But, in Nov. i was unable to find info on many county level positions. I could not even find a comprehensive list of the offices that would be on the ballot, let alone info to pick one candidate over another.

I have always thought that it would just be easier to punch in my ZIP and get a list of all candidates for my area. There are resources that you can do this for certain levels of office, but nowhere (that i could find) that you can do this for all offices.

 

[Annie]

While that info may be readily available in Chicagoland, it is not that accessable here in Herriman, UT and i assume the same is true for many more areas.
While writing this reply, i found a neat resource on judges from the Utah Bar. It is just a list of interviews, not endorsements, but still useful. I thank you for bringing that resource to my attention.
But, in Nov. i was unable to find info on many county level positions. I could not even find a comprehensive list of the offices that would be on the ballot, let alone info to pick one candidate over another.

I have always thought that it would just be easier to punch in my ZIP and get a list of all candidates for my area. There are resources that you can do this for certain levels of office, but nowhere (that i could find) that you can do this for all offices.

So are you selling something? Seems you were able to access that local election easy enough?

 

[electionEZ_com]

Well i felt there was a need for a better mousetrap, i built it, and if everyone already has two, then i was wrong.

That's really what i have come here to find out. You have a wealth of information on finding the details you need. I still do not think that the average voter is as astute as you are.

Hopefully i can bring some light to the topic.

And it won't cost you a dime.

 

[boedicca]

The real impact of politics is local - and local politicians have the ability to do a great deal of damage or good. I live in Oakland CA - and found Jerry Brown to be a surprisingly good mayor. I would joke with people that "just as only Nixon could go to China, only Jerry Brown could bring Capitalism to Oaktown".

Now we are stuck with Ron Dellums, much to my horror. He is committed to rolling back much of the economic development that is finally helping Oakland's decimated downtown recover from the 70s. But racial politics have once again trumped common sense. It was more important for the Black Dems to maintain power than to allow a Hispanic to win.

 

[Annie]

Well i felt there was a need for a better mousetrap, i built it, and if everyone already has two, then i was wrong.

That's really what i have come here to find out. You have a wealth of information on finding the details you need. I still do not think that the average voter is as astute as you are.

Hopefully i can bring some light to the topic.

And it won't cost you a dime.

Well I think that anyone that wishes to be informed about voting has a pretty easy time of it. The problems come from those that just vote for name, I guess hoping for ethnicity or something. Then there are those who just don't bother.

I truly wish our children were learning civics, it would help alot.

 

[electionEZ_com]

But if it were even easier, would more people take interest in who they were voting for?

 

[Annie]

But if it were even easier, would more people take interest in who they were voting for?

Truly, I don't see much interest. Those that care, figure it out. Then there are the other 2/3's.