DFL picks up a seat in the Senate; What's up with Pawlenty's calendar?
DFLers should be celebrating today, because the party picked up a seat in the State Senate in yesterday's special election in Senate District 43. Terri Bonoff bested Judy Johnson by nearly 1000 votes. Results are here. The Republicans held onto their seat in the other special election yesterday in SD 19.
Why were these elections held two days before Thanksgiving? Why not a more logical date (like, oh, say, election day)?
The governor has the responsibility for scheduling special elections. Governor Pawlenty scheduled these elections at this time. There's two more special elections coming up to fill seats in St. Cloud. Governor Pawlenty scheduled that special election for December 27. Two days after Christmas. In a college town.
Do you detect a pattern here?
MN Politics Guru thinks that Gov. Pawlenty is trying to manipulate the results of these elections by making them as inconvenient as possible.
This fits into a wider pattern of Republican voter suppression. By confusing, scaring, or intimidating voters, they hope to suppress turnout by all but the most dedicated party activists.
By contrast, Democrats generally believe "high turnout is an end in itself" as MN Politics Guru says. Obstacles to voting are obstacles to the will of the people.
posted by Luke Francl @ 10:10 AM |
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3 Comments:
Republicans have engaged in a pattern of voter suppression in certain districts.
Democrats have engaged in ballot stuffing and fraud on a number of occasions.
Both are guilty are violating the principles of representative government, but the first is legal and the second isn't. That is a very significant difference and shouldn't be forgotten.
-Censored
Hmm, last I checked Republicans are breaking lots of laws these days.
Election laws?
Or are you back on the "very high ranking guy you never heard of, who's now going to walk because Woodward came clean."
Or was it the Delay indictment?
(If it was either, you should really say "allegedly" breaking laws.)
I will note that there was a lack of denial in your response. Good for you.
-Censored
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