Comments on: Moving On Then: On Open Source Call For Priorities

By: David

David — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:28:25 +0000

I have seen states with summer primaries and the voting is no worse than our normal September primary. It is the interest in the election not the timing which drives turnout. Obviously some times would hurt. You wouldn’t want the election July 4th week or on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. I would propose the end of July. It gives incumbent legislators a month to campaign after session, yet it is early enough to switch gears and run a general election campaign.

It avoids holidays and doesn’t get the political literature drowned in back to school advertisement. Candidates will have plenty of events available and good weather for door to door.

I would prefer a May primary but that won’t fly in the GA besides all of their votes will be on the record for the previous two years by July.

By: Early Primaries - I Agree With Liberals? « That’s Elbert With An E

Early Primaries - I Agree With Liberals? « That’s Elbert With An E — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:08:51 +0000

[...] who will be on the ballot in November. Imagine my surprise when I looked on Delaware Liberal and found this: Moving the Primary. The current system is an incumbent protection scheme. This may take a few [...]

By: Another Mike

Another Mike — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:36:19 +0000

I didn’t see eminent domain on this list anywhere. It has fallen off the radar a bit, but I don’t believe the city of Wilmington has abandoned its plans for those properties. With Markell in office, if it passes the GA again, it will be signed.

I agree that the top issue has to be open government. It will be HB1, but how far will it get this time?

Also, I’d like to see the deadline for submission of the state budget be moved up 3 to 5 days so legislators can actually look at the thing before they vote on it.

By: Political Observer

Political Observer — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:24:39 +0000

Smitty, if the goal is to increase voter awareness and promt interest in getting rid of “Old Boy” politics, moving it to the summer would be an even worse idea for the very reason you state. You most certainly would lose some segment of the electorate to vacations – and who thinks about absentee ballots when you are packing for the beach. The contest would come down to those who can organize most effectively for a short term, intense contest and get their couple thousand folks to the polls, something the “Old Boys” may well be better prepared for at least in the short term. Coverage of the legislature would dissipate any campaign message intended for the general populace until the end of June. I suppose retail politics could be worked on hard by a challenger who could sneak up on an incumbent in the legislature. But again, do you think any incumbent is going to vote for that – even the progressives – if it means their jobs are on the line?

By: R Smitty

R Smitty — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:48:20 +0000

The electorate is unlikely to pay any attention to a July or August primary.

I have heard this expressed by many as a concern by way of how many voters will be on a summer vacation. That’s what an absentee is for.

Considering the normal 20% or less turnout for primaries, I don’t see that as a valid concern. It’s painfully obvious far too few take it serious enough as it is now.

By: jason330

jason330 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:44:37 +0000

Thanks for that. It helps with the prioritizing. In addition to everything you said, it does not seem like the kind of issue that would get much public enthusiasm behind it.

By: Political Observer

Political Observer — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:37:55 +0000

Moving the primary will be harder than you think. There has been a bill in nearly every session of the GA since I can remember. You run up against the vagaries of the legislative calendar. No one is going to vote to move a primary to during the session and be a primary target for doing their job. The electorate is unlikely to pay any attention to a July or August primary. I suppose you could try to move it to the traditional JFC break in Feb/Mar, but that would make JFC members sitting ducks for primaries and would put a primary loser in the legislature in an untenable position for the remainder of the session. If you are serious about this goal, you have to look at shortening the legislative session, yet another bill that has been introduced in some form or another for years and years. Delaware is unlikely to be seeing an earlier primary any time soon, even if it does make sense.

By: David

David — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:57:43 +0000

I like your top three except I would say party committee of your choice. We have 6 significant parties Repub. Dem., Lib., Constitution, Ind., and Blue Enigma.

I would add form a Lead Committee for each of the remaining cabinet departments.

I would also propose increasing the campaign finance contribution limits to deal with inflation.

By: Duffy

Duffy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:27:08 +0000

Cass:

DRBA has been mismanaged and crying poverty to the tune of millions. How this can be so is a little suspicious. They’re raking in eleventy billion dollars per day in tolls.

By: cassandra_m

cassandra_m — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:22:39 +0000

Hey Rebecca — what can the Progressive Dems do to help folks get more involved with the committees and other positions? I had commented a long time ago that it would be really awesome if the Progressive Dems could conduct workshop(s) or something to brief newcomers on the rules of the road for getting involved with the local committees…

By: cassandra_m

cassandra_m — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:19:26 +0000

Serious question — what is wrong with the DRBA?

By: Duffy

Duffy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:46:35 +0000

1. Term limits
2. DRBA overhaul top to bottom
3. Legally mandated transparency (prob. related to Jason’s point #1)
4. Curb developers bait and switch as aided by corrupt local officials.

By: Brian Shields

Brian Shields — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:00:44 +0000

Whoever is at the helm, causing the desk drawer veto to be used, will bear the brunt of my attentions. The deal would only be sweeter if it was Adams.

The missing “c” would just defeat the purpose now, wouldn’t it?

By: delawaredem

delawaredem — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:37:30 +0000

how about the missing “S,” Paris?

By: Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:35:56 +0000

Actually there is the case of a missing “c” in Donviti’s query?

Therefore the accurate interpretation does not follow.

Some people overlook it; some people use it as proof for naught.