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Primary
Election notebook ...
Sprouting yard signs, new voting machines, and a good voter
turnout
By
JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Tuesday,
May 16, 2006, 3:30 p.m. -- Editor's Note: This
is a collection of election day observations.
- TURNOUT
FAVORABLE FOR A PRIMARY. From my conversations with
precinct workers and other voters this afternoon, turnout
for this primary election appears to be higher than usual.
Several sources from a variety of precincts told me that
the flow of voters to the polls had been steady.
- THUMBS-UP
FOR NEW VOTING MACHINE. In addition to the regular voting
machines at
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To
use the new electronic voting machines,
each voter receives a unique four-digit
access code. The code must be entered into
the machine before the voter can access
the ballots.
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my
polling place (the new Cox's Creek Elementary School), one
of the new voting machines was also in place. The precinct
workers recommended I give it a go, and I couldn't resist
trying it.
To
use the new voting machine, you are given a 4-digit PIN
number in order to log into the system. You receive this
number after you sign the voter registration book (a special
printer, operated by a poll worker, spits it out). The
voting machine has a tuning knob you use in order to make
your selections. You select the first number of the PIN,
then press the "Enter" button, and so on for
the rest of the number. Once logged in, you use the knob
to highlight the candidate in each race you wish to vote
for. Once you have the final candidate selected on that
screen, it automatically displays the candidates on the
second screen. Once you've made your selection, you are
prompted to push a big red "VOTE" button. Viola!
You're done.
I
love gadgets, but part of me still wonders if the old
mechanical voting machines weren't ultimately more trouble-free
than electronic machines.
- CANDIDATE
SIGNS SPROUT OVERNIGHT. The sprinkling of rain overnight
must have caused additional candidate signs to sprout; on
my way to town early this morning I could swear that clusters
of Hutchins and Shields signs had appeared where there were
none the day before. I wonder if this phenomenon was limited
to the Louisville Road corridor?
- APATHY
STILL A PROBLEM. I filled my tank in town today before
heading to Louisville for a doctor's appointment. I took
an informal poll of those at the minit mart regarding the
election and if they were going to vote and I was disappointed.
None of those I asked were planning on voting. One young
man told me "it don't make any difference if I vote
or not." Several people seemed to find the idea of
voting a useless exercise. Perhaps the next General Assembly
can inject some civics and political science requirements
into the next KERA overhaul. It's sad how few young people
believe in taking part in elections.
- GIVE
ME 40 ACRES AND I'LL TURN THIS RIG AROUND. I ran into
Matt Fogle, son of judge-executive candidate Kenny Fogle,
as Matt was driving a pick-up truck pulling an enclosed
trailer plastered with his dad's bright yellow campaign
signs through the Cox's Creek Elementary School parking
lot. I told him (tongue planted firmly in cheek) there was
a law against electioneering within 300 feet of a polling
place. He wasn't campaigning for his Dad, but just trying
to get the combined truck and trailer rig turned around.
DEVELOPING
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