As those of you know who were here on election night or the morning after, it is a close race between Taylor Balderas and Mike Craig. First reports showed Taylor winning; then after absentee ballots were counted Craig is leading by 12. Provisional ballots have not been counted yet, that will not happen for ten days and the Board of Elections has not stated how many provisional ballots there are for the third Council District.
Yet, I have to take issue with this statement as quoted by the Blade from Mr. Craig:
Mr. Craig said the fact that Ms. Balderas received only a little over a third of the vote showed voters weren't happy with the job she's doing.
"I just think they were not getting the leadership they thought they should be getting," Mr. Craig said.
If one wanted to be a bit snarky...they could say that if Mike Craig's 12 vote lead holds that East Side Toledo voters were not exactly inspired by him to go out and support him.
What this really says to me is a few things, first few District 3'rs felt it important to vote and whoever is elected might want to find out what caused such apathy.
Second, maybe it's time to take a serious look at the South End being included as a part of District 3. It's obvious from the division that came out directed at Taylor because she was not an East Sider that those who are District 3 residents that do live in the South end are not getting fair representation.
Third, South Enders there was your chance to turn out and vote. Doesn't appear you care anymore than the East Siders did on this one. This was the first time someone from "that side of the river" would have been elected to represent District 3...
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5 comments:
I am from the South End District 3, I am dissapointed that Taylor did not garner a larger vote then she did.
Being that the South End of Toledo is only about 1/4 of all of District 3, I think her vote count said exactley the opposite of that of Mike Craig.
In this equation, if the only votes Taylor recieved were from South Toledo, she would only have recieved 25% of the vote. Instead she got about 33% of the vote meaning that at least 8% of the East Side constituents decided to vote for her and not their East Side cronie.
I can personaly tell you that Mike Craig campaigned on my doorstep (ironicaly enough the same time the LCC Debate was happening) and I was not impressed with his answer to this question I poised to him.
"How or what can you do to assure me that the South End will not be overshadowed by your alligence to the East Side?".
His answer...(paraphrased) "Well you know I am from the Birmingham area. That is only about 5 miles away so thats not a great distance. There is really nothing I can do for or to the South End that would a have a negative impact on those from the East Side and vice-versa."
I shook my head in puzzlement. He shook my hand, said "Nice Meeting you, remeber to vote for me May 2nd." and left.
That comment along with his position that he would fight to have the Sports Arena built on the East Side because that is where voters decided to have it built by their vote on September 11, 2001 convinced me that he would not get my vote.
So I voted for Taylor.
Something to consider...
If Taylor actually looses her City Council seat to Mike Craig, maybe she can be appointed to the at-large seat left vacant by McCloskey.
KK, since you live in that district, do you feel as if you should be included with the rest of South Toledo? Do you feel as a resident of District 3 that you have representation on Toledo City Council? I've heard from other South enders that they don't, which is why I'm interested in your take on that.
I'm not sure that Taylor has applied for that position or that it would go to her. Even though there are many qualities that Taylor has that I admire, I think that consideration should go to at large candidates who ran in the last election first.
I do believe though that if the vote count stays the way it is after the provisional ballots are looked at this is not the last we have heard of Taylor. At least I hope not.
:-)
Lisa,
I live right on the fringe of district 3. As a matter of fact, if you walk across S. Detroit Ave from my house you will be in what I believe is district 4.
So, the answer to your question is:
Yes, I feel I should be included with the rest of South Toledo. It seems that whenever I have to speak with my councilman about matters at hand, I am lowest on their priority list.
Thanks KK, I wonder what it would take to change that on top of wondering why it was done that way in the first place.
Sounds like something worth checking into.
:-)
"What does a 14.5 percent turn out really mean?"
To me, it means that the (non)-voters can't be bothered with things like participating in the selection of their political spokesperson.
{"I have a very busy life here, I can't be bothered with wasting my time electing anyone. Besides, what difference will it make? NONE!")
As for me, I haven't missed an election, ANY election, since my 18th birthday; not one. . .
(Who represents me MATTERS to me.)
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