Did Anyone Get Ed’s Memo?
We all know what happened at today’s Marion County Election Board meeting. A measure that would have allowed for satellite voting this November failed because it did not get an unanimous vote. What also didn’t happen was a packed house of Democrats, as called for Friday by Party Chairman Ed Treacy.
Dear Friends:
A few weeks ago, Mayor Ballard released a television ad that began with him saying, “We all know…politics really isn’t my thing.” Now, with the Mayor’s laughable rhetoric being put to the test, he has a chance to prove it. My message for the Mayor is simple: if you’re not a politician, then let Marion County residents vote.
Earlier today, Marion County Clerk Beth White announced that the United Auto Workers Region 3 is providing a donation of $50,000 to pay for satellite voting in Marion County. The plan, developed with bipartisan support from Southport Mayor Rob Thoman (R) and Washington Township Trustee Frank Short (D), would allow for two satellite sites during the 2011 Municipal Election.
Mayor Ballard and his Republican Party have spent a lot of time arguing about the cost of satellite voting centers, but now, thanks to the generosity of the UAW, those arguments are over. I call on Mayor Ballard to put aside his political fears and do the right thing for Marion County voters: accept the donation and instruct the Republican appointee to vote in favor of satellite voting.
The Marion County Election Board is scheduled to vote on the issue Monday, September 12, 10 A.M. at the City-County Building Room 220. Please help us pack the room and show Mayor Ballard’s Republican Party that we want safe, secure, and accessible voting options in 2011.
Democratically yours,
Ed Treacy
I counted a couple dozen people at the meeting at best. Most were media, government employees and a few politicos.
I honestly think had Democrats come with a donor other than the UAW, the GOP would have approved satellite voting because they would not have a choice. By picking the UAW, which has given money to Melina Kennedy, the Democrats gave Republicans the perfect cover to say no.
And on a side note, for all the people yelling and screaming about voter disenfranchisement and the City-County building isn’t safe and construction keeps people away, where were you in May 2007 when the polls didn’t open and more than 3300 people were denied their ability to vote? I’m just asking.
