For each At-Large City Council race, two candidates will win and fill two seats, so each voter can vote for up to two candidates in each race. Some voters for some races choose to employ a strategy known as “bullet voting” — i.e., voting only for their single preferred candidate, so as not to dilute the power of that vote by helping any other candidate with one’s second vote.
The wording on our ballots has changed this year. In 2017 and earlier elections, the At-Large City Council races said, “VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN TWO,” implying that there’s an option to vote for fewer if one chose to. In Newton’s 2019 ballots, that wording has changed to, “Vote for TWO,” perhaps implying that for a ballot to be valid, a voter must vote for two candidates in those races. That would seem to discourage “bullet voting” or perhaps imply a restriction against it.
City Clerk David Olson assures me that despite the change in wording, “Nothing has changed. As always voters can vote for as few as they want. The wording reflects the wording on State Ballots.”
Bullet voting remains legal, but you must be registered to use it.
Who/what body made the decision for that wording change?
I’ll be going to the polls on voting day, but leaving most of my ballot blank. I will not vote for anyone who disrespected the voters and undermined the results of the 2016 vote that legalized cannabis. So I won’t be voting for a single incumbent City Councilor, because they all voted to ban cannabis after 57% of their constituents voted to legalize it…
It really doesn’t matter to me if the ballot says “Vote for Two,” or “Vote for Not More Than Two.” Each and every ballot in the City of Newton SHOULD offer a voter the option to vote for “None of the Above,” because uncontested races are undemocratic. It would also be a heck of a lot of fun watching some of these unchallenged candidates lose to None of the Above.
Mike Striar – You’re just a one trick pony and that’s too bad because there are many other important issues facing the City right now.
Cannabis is legal and we have one adult use facility open with more on the way. It’s time to move on.
I agree uncontested races stink and this is the first time I find myself in that situation and frankly I am feeling left out. We need more citizens to jump in and participate. So don’t just comment on the blog- run!
What Councilor Leary said. Ruling out incumbents on that narrowest of litmus tests, could very well play right into the hands of candidates who actually worked to get the marijuana ban on the ballot.
@Alison Leary–
A “one trick pony”? Me? Look closer. I comment on many different Newton issues here on V14. You and I have debated a couple of them, like your war on shopping bags for example.
I’ve lived in Newton 56 years, I pay attention, and I have a good memory. So when the Newton City Council voted unanimously to overturn a democratic ballot initiative passed by 57% of your constituents, it stood out as a unique and memorable scenario. The City Council was not simply voting against cannabis, they voted in complete contradiction to the instructions given them by the electorate.
You mentioned a desire to “move on” from the issue, Alison. I’ll be glad to do that with you or any other City Councilor. But first, I think you owe voters an acknowledgement that you made a mistake, and an apology. I’ve yet to hear either of those things from you, or any other member of the Council who voted to block the 2016 cannabis law.
I can’t believe I upvoted a comment by Striar.
Instead of None of the Above may I suggest a write in for: “Lizard People” a la the 2000 Florida recount.
It would be nice if the ballots contained a brief blurb about each candidate and what they represent/stand for, not unlike the description of ballot questions in even year elections.
In reality, some Voters are heading to the polls today with very little knowledge about many of the candidates on the ballot. They are only there to Vote for a few candidates in hotly contested Ward races they either know personally (or have a connection to) or for candidates representing their Ward/Village, with absolutely no knowledge of the rest of the field.
Mike is no one-trick pony.
But, what’s wrong with one-trick ponies? They raise the profile of the issues they champion. They generate energy.
We need all sorts of participants.