Saturday, April 21, 2007

Even the losers keep a little bit of pride...

That's me: A loser with a little bit of pride.

More later. For now, rest.

15 comments:

Slacker said...

We were hoping for different news. :( We met you today when we voted and were REALLY hoping for a change. Keep your head up and I know we'll hear from you in the future!

Anonymous said...

I hope you truly do have pride. A loser would not have taken on an incumbent that also happened to be one of Columbia’s first 100 residents. That took balls. Sorry you didn’t make it. You had the toughest race by a long shot. I doubt we have seen the last of you…

Anonymous said...

You are clearly meant for bigger and better things.

'till the next election!

Anonymous said...

This kind of public loss usually invokes the seven stages of grief. (7?)
Now that a few hours have passed, Time to move onward.

Why did only one blogger win? I would argue that name recognition was absolutely there. The bloggers have been in the newspapers several times. Whether or not people read the blogs, they likely know the bloggers exist. Questions:

1. voters didn't see blogging as relevant experience for the CA position?
2. readers knew too much about blogger positions,and most didn't agree with the positions?
3. voters didn't know as much about other candidate positions and it worked in their favor?
4. voters found other candidates to have more relevant experience?
5. voters ignored past failures by incumbents, hoping they had learned and the experience would prompt better decisions?
6. voters focused on the blogger as blogger rather than re-evaluating the blogger-candidate's the more relevant experience?

I really believe that knowing as much about any candidate as voters know about bloggers would damage campaigns.

The solution is to find out more about everyone we're electing, as if they all had blogs.

Anonymous said...

I was hoping for different news too.

I chalk it up to name recognition. Ian, as you said - with such a small turn out every vote really counts. Barbara Russell may be among the first 100 people to reside in Columbia, but she has also been on the ballot a lot and this was your first time on a ballot (right?).

Then again - I got crushed in my run back in September.

Point is - who knows.

I am sure we will be seeing you running again. Next time give me a call - I will go door to door with you.

Anonymous said...

Oakland Mills also skews older. Part of the problem with OM if you ask me...

Anonymous said...

hey hey hey. That age comment has much too much room for interpretation, negative interpretation.

I, as an older person could say, well if those youngsters would just get out and vote, then things might be different.

Fact is, younger voters don't turn out.

Also, regarding viable younger candidates with experience are in short supply as ages in the 30's and most of the 40's are spent raising children, which is an all-consuming activity (let's discuss THAT one!). That leaves older folks and retirees to run things.

Anonymous said...

Let us not over-analyze this. As I understand it incumbants won across the board. Not particularly uncommon especially in Col Council races. With just a few exceptions incumbants always win in these races and the bulk of the exceptions come in years where incumbants are swept out (the last oned being when Barbara Russell first won). One blogger won because he was the only one not challenging an incumbant.

Anonymous said...

"That took balls" - sexist

"Oakland Mills also skews older. Part of the problem with OM if you ask me..." - ageist

"I really believe that knowing as much about any candidate as voters know about bloggers would damage campaigns." - Unless this comment was addressing purely the goal of winning an election and not addressing the goal of electing the best candidate, I don't know what the -ist word is for bias against those with knowledge, but I doubt they'd be referred to as smartist.

Anonymous said...

Many people will complain about government, critize politicians, and be more than willing to tell the world what is wrong with it. But few will try to make a real difference. Thanks for running Hyduke.

FreeMarket said...

Seems to me like voter turnout was pretty low across the board. I wonder what percent of each village actually voted?

Anonymous said...

That was just a practice run. You have good ideas and will go far. Stay strong!! Help Columbia age in place. Thank you for trying to give us all a better place to live.

Anonymous said...

The voter turnout in Town Center was 10.7% (225 ballots), only 13 votes more than the minimum required for a valid election (10% quorom)

Granted, there was no Columbia Council race in Town Center, but that is still awfully low. Luckily they had a sunny day....

Anonymous said...

When you're a voter, and information is not forthcoming, and your life is very busy, most of us are not going to fight for information. We're going to write off trying to remember participating.

Anonymous said...

You can also take pride in the fact that the number of votes you got in Oakland Mills would have won you the election in most of the other villages.