Voting - The Firearms Forum

dcd_enterprises · 11-02-2008, 06:24 AM

Christi and I already have, but I have a question to pose to all you great sages out there in the ether.

I don't ever vote and not fill out the ballot completely. I, as of late, have heard about a great deal of fall off on voting; people will vote for Pres. and Vice Pres, and then submit their ballot, leaving the remaining positions blank.

I guess we are blessed to come from a small community, Township trustees are known and county supervisors have been acquainted. I can understand in a larger community/more densely populated area not voting for these positions simply for lack of knowledge of those persons running, but my problem is Judges.

This election I actually prepared myself, I had researched in advance who would be on the ballot, but find it difficult to figure out any sort of position on a Judge. I understand the importance of a non-partisan Judiciary, but once they have ruled on any case law one should be able to determine, somewhat, their perspective on their own role as a judge. I know for example that if they were voted on for retention there are four judges on the Supreme Court that I personally would not vote to retain tomorrow. Unfortunately, we do not have that option.

What say you? Is there somewhere I can look to explore previous case history on a particular Justice? Iowa's Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, and County Magistrates are all subject to voting. As it were, I could get some feel for a position on a few of them, but the rest of them I simply had to look at the Governor who nominated them, and went by that. After all, most of the Judges that Clinton nominated as President I would not vote to retain, but I still don't really feel comfortable with this logic. Would appreciate hearing your perspective on the matter.

Shellback · 11-02-2008, 07:33 AM

My wife and I are just as confused and probably less prepared then you and Christi,
we have little knowledge on the issues around here or the politicians. I have a bad habit of voting no on everything that costs money and the different bonds, seems they try to confuse alot of it now to throw me off. I try to inform myself on the politicians but it's really confusing they seem to all tell you want you want to hear.
Tim

Vladimir · 11-02-2008, 02:51 PM

I always fill it out completely, other than the ones who are running uncontested. I don't give them the satisfaction of my vote

.

In cases like judges, they are actually frequently uncontested here, or there is an incumbent. I have dealt minorly with our justice system and enjoyed it and the area is doing great so the incumbent gets the vote.

More often than not though in those hard-to-decide races (for LACK of information) a simple browse through the voters guide is enough to pick out the winners from the losers. An incredibly high amount of people don't submit a statement or picture, people who can't take the time to submit a paragraph about what they stand for don't deserve my vote. Its that simple.

vytoland · 11-02-2008, 05:04 PM

government elections = send in the clowns

dcd_enterprises · 11-02-2008, 05:37 PM

The elections for judges here are yes or no, weather or not to retain a particular judge. Not to select between two judges. Each judge is up, i believe, every 5 years, and if there are more no votes on retention, they are off the bench 31 Dec.

dcd_enterprises · 11-04-2008, 07:49 PM

Still hoping to get some more opinions on this...

SaddleSarge · 11-04-2008, 08:07 PM

Well, what I do especially when it comes to judges, is to research (usually on the internet) just to see who appointed them. If it was a liberal governor, I vote "no." I voted no many times lately with judges that were for re-up that were appointed by Gray Davis.

Being in a rural area, we too know our local reps (supervisors) and so far... all of them are useless p.o.s.'s. But...the lemings keep voting them in.

Other than that, I wrote in a candidate for the first time in my 32 years of voting. The Republican had sold himself out to the dems, so what the hell...at least I would know what we were getting with the libs vs voting for a conservative who sells him/herself out to the libs, so I didn't vote for that candidate and the ol' SaddleSarge got a vote for the first time in his life (vs the traitor conservative).

11-02-2008, 06:24 AM	#1
dcd_enterprises Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wheatland, Iowa Posts: 1,313	Voting Question Christi and I already have, but I have a question to pose to all you great sages out there in the ether. I don't ever vote and not fill out the ballot completely. I, as of late, have heard about a great deal of fall off on voting; people will vote for Pres. and Vice Pres, and then submit their ballot, leaving the remaining positions blank. I guess we are blessed to come from a small community, Township trustees are known and county supervisors have been acquainted. I can understand in a larger community/more densely populated area not voting for these positions simply for lack of knowledge of those persons running, but my problem is Judges. This election I actually prepared myself, I had researched in advance who would be on the ballot, but find it difficult to figure out any sort of position on a Judge. I understand the importance of a non-partisan Judiciary, but once they have ruled on any case law one should be able to determine, somewhat, their perspective on their own role as a judge. I know for example that if they were voted on for retention there are four judges on the Supreme Court that I personally would not vote to retain tomorrow. Unfortunately, we do not have that option. What say you? Is there somewhere I can look to explore previous case history on a particular Justice? Iowa's Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, and County Magistrates are all subject to voting. As it were, I could get some feel for a position on a few of them, but the rest of them I simply had to look at the Governor who nominated them, and went by that. After all, most of the Judges that Clinton nominated as President I would not vote to retain, but I still don't really feel comfortable with this logic. Would appreciate hearing your perspective on the matter. __________________ A veteran - whether active duty, retired, National Guard or Reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand that - Author unknown --> Last edited by dcd_enterprises; 11-04-2008 at 07:48 PM..

11-02-2008, 07:33 AM	#2
Shellback Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Broken Arrow Ok Posts: 950	Re: Voting My wife and I are just as confused and probably less prepared then you and Christi, we have little knowledge on the issues around here or the politicians. I have a bad habit of voting no on everything that costs money and the different bonds, seems they try to confuse alot of it now to throw me off. I try to inform myself on the politicians but it's really confusing they seem to all tell you want you want to hear. Tim __________________ The Plumber Protects The Health of the Nation New World Order never, Sovreignty Forever

11-02-2008, 02:51 PM	#3
Vladimir Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Issaquah WA Posts: 3,558	Re: Voting I always fill it out completely, other than the ones who are running uncontested. I don't give them the satisfaction of my vote . In cases like judges, they are actually frequently uncontested here, or there is an incumbent. I have dealt minorly with our justice system and enjoyed it and the area is doing great so the incumbent gets the vote. More often than not though in those hard-to-decide races (for LACK of information) a simple browse through the voters guide is enough to pick out the winners from the losers. An incredibly high amount of people don't submit a statement or picture, people who can't take the time to submit a paragraph about what they stand for don't deserve my vote. Its that simple. __________________ -JVRR меня зовут Владимир или Джеймс. Я знаю только немного русский язык (я американец, но мой пра дедушка русски). STEAM (CSS, TF2, etc): Ask me! Xbox LIVE! GT: "Vlad is Rad" PS3 PSN: "Vlad_Is_Rad"

11-02-2008, 05:04 PM	#4
vytoland Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 608	Re: Voting government elections = send in the clowns

11-02-2008, 05:37 PM	#5
dcd_enterprises Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wheatland, Iowa Posts: 1,313	Re: Voting The elections for judges here are yes or no, weather or not to retain a particular judge. Not to select between two judges. Each judge is up, i believe, every 5 years, and if there are more no votes on retention, they are off the bench 31 Dec. __________________ A veteran - whether active duty, retired, National Guard or Reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand that - Author unknown

11-04-2008, 07:49 PM	#6
dcd_enterprises Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wheatland, Iowa Posts: 1,313	Re: Voting Still hoping to get some more opinions on this... __________________ A veteran - whether active duty, retired, National Guard or Reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand that - Author unknown

11-04-2008, 08:07 PM	#7
SaddleSarge Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,025	Re: Voting Well, what I do especially when it comes to judges, is to research (usually on the internet) just to see who appointed them. If it was a liberal governor, I vote "no." I voted no many times lately with judges that were for re-up that were appointed by Gray Davis. Being in a rural area, we too know our local reps (supervisors) and so far... all of them are useless p.o.s.'s. But...the lemings keep voting them in. Other than that, I wrote in a candidate for the first time in my 32 years of voting. The Republican had sold himself out to the dems, so what the hell...at least I would know what we were getting with the libs vs voting for a conservative who sells him/herself out to the libs, so I didn't vote for that candidate and the ol' SaddleSarge got a vote for the first time in his life (vs the traitor conservative).