Skimpy Turnout
Only about 15 percent of registered voters in Bristol and Kingsport, Tenn., voted in local elections Tuesday, according to preliminary turnout numbers.
Sullivan County Administration of Elections Jason Booher estimated voter turnout was higher in Bluff City, Tenn., where an estimated 25 percent of registered voters showed up at the polls.
But this still means that the vast majority of people who could vote on Tuesday, or in early voting held weeks before Election Day, bowed out.
“One thing that’s frustrating from an administrative position, as a citizen of Sullivan County and as a person interested in government is that citizens don’t understand the importance of local leaders in our daily lives,” Booher said. “The wheels do turn slowly in Nashville or Washington, D.C. It could take three months or longer to get a bill through the Congress, but the county commission or a city council can make a decision in a night.”
Citizens will lament tax hikes, policy changes and administrative decisions made after the fact. But where were they on Election Day? There were early voting sites and open polls until 8 p.m., so voters had no excuses.
Certainly there is more drama and excitement on Election Day when there are state or national races. But the local races decided Tuesday determined local leaders who, among other things, set property tax rates and increases, form economic development policies, set policies for education and decide how much teachers will be paid.
Booher said it would be “alarming to know” how many citizens might not know their local leaders – city council members, commissioners, school board members.
In a free society, where electing leaders is considered a fundamental right, we are failing when a handful of people make the choices and the vast majority doesn’t show up at all.
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Reader Reactions
Captainkona- I am a huge fan of Shumaker because of all he has done on behalf of Bristol, including R&R and his support of tourism but I wonder what sort of crazy ideas you might have with the remark “The local Taliban just wanted to remove Shumaker because he fights their attempts to dictate commerce and other such abhorrent activity.“ What do you mean abhorrent activity? Does the idea of free enterprize scare you? Or do you prefer a communist society? If you don’t like business then you should even stay away from Shumaker after all he has his own business… Shumaker has done a lot for “commerce” in this community, serving on several business oriented boards. His support of R&R and tourism is “commerce” after all. I believe the voters voted to support David Shumaker because he has always put Bristol first and has spend his life working on behalf of the city not because of some conspiricy theory that some elite group is trying to run things…
The local Taliban just wanted to remove Shumaker because he fights their attempts to dictate commerce and other such abhorrent activity.
Willinger (or whoever he is) got close on the organized Right Wing vote, but enough of us showed up to do the smart thing and keep our incumbents in office.
Good job, Bristolians.
“Citizens will lament tax hikes, policy changes and administrative decisions made after the fact. But where were they on Election Day? There were early voting sites and open polls until 8 p.m., so voters had no excuses.“ - Booher
Sounds more like sour grapes to me.
Chanfe the laws. If less than 50% of the people vote then shut down the offices because the public has spoken. Those offices are not worth wasting time on. Shut down the school boards loet the Professionals in the school system do their jobs.
Close city hall and save the taxpayers money.
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