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Welcome to Backyard Blog, our group online journal for this election season. We've asked a broad array of people with deep ties to the region to share their views on politics during the 2004 campaign.
Send your comments to bbcomments@seattletimes.com. |
October 28, 2004
| Stamp acts, further reading |
| Posted by Shalini Gujavarty at 09:18 PM |
Yesterday, someone at work started a thread that said that the Post Office wouldn't deliver absentee ballot votes with just a 37-cent stamp. This prompted a number of people to try to verify the claim by calling the Post Office, King County Elections, etc. According to most of these reliable sources, a 37-cent stamp is sufficient. Just to be on the safe side, I'm putting two on mine.
I voted by absentee ballot today and will mail it off tomorrow. As a naturalized citizen, I relish being able to vote — especially in presidential elections. It was difficult being an onlooker and not a participant. I empathize with all the Microsofties who are here on H-1Bs and won't have the opportunity to vote — and not just because nearly all the ones I've talked to are virulently anti-Bush.
It took me about 15 minutes to complete my ballot. I was torn over how to vote on the proposal to reduce the number of King County Coucil members, until I saw that it was sponsored by Tim Eyman. Instinctively, I voted against it. I voted down the party line on the partisan races but broke with the King County Young Dems' Endorsements by voting for the charter school referendum and against Initiative 884. I would rather pay a progressive state income tax than face an increase in the sales tax — which is by nature regressive (imposing a higher burden on lower income households).
I e-mailed a friend of mine who lives in Jacksonville, Fla., and she was going to try to vote today so that she'd be free to volunteer on election day to drive the elderly to the polls and to be an election observer.
I knew The Economist wouldn't let me down. Even though they tend to support Republicans on economic issues and they supported Bush's initial decision to go to war, they have concluded, "With a heavy heart, we think American readers should vote for Kerry on November 2nd" and framed their choice as Bush, the Incompetent versus Kerry, the Incoherent.
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| Finding a classmate on the ballot |
| Posted by Stephanie Sanguinet at 02:45 PM |
As Tuesday approaches, I’ve been struck with a sense of sudden realization. While most of my friends and I have been glued to the presidential race, most of us know (and care) very little about local elections and the measures that will be presented to us in less than a week. So, being the Internet savvy girl that I am, I went to the Web for a quick lesson in Washington state politics 101.
After reviewing the Washington Secretary of State Web site for more information on local candidates and measures, I found that one of my old high school classmates is in the running for state Legislature. Where have I been?! Have I been so preoccupied with the presidential campaign that I blindly ignored all the yard signs I now see littered throughout north Snohomish County? The biography on the Web site does little to tell of his/her viewpoints and gives only the information that the candidates want you to see. However, as not to ruin this former classmate’s chances of election, I won’t humor you with stories of character and morals as they were then.
What I can say is that reading this person’s biography made me laugh to myself and recall memories shared. We were on the high school newspaper staff together for a year and spent many late nights talking politics and religious beliefs and bantering back and forth. Only those who have served on a newspaper staff know how much you can learn about the others on your staff in the late-night hours before a deadline, drinking case after case of Mountain Dew and eating bottomless pizza. This person was destined for a life in politics and made it very clear that was where he/she would end up in the future.
To this candidate I say good luck, I hope you reach Olympia.
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October 2004
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