I spent 90 minutes doing my civic duty with the absentee ballot this evening, and I’m not quite done.
While I’m not going to share my votes, I will say that the lingering indecision is on Proposition 87 (the tax on California oil production to spur alternative energy sources) and on the competing (?) flood control bond measures 1E and 84. Also, I still need to make the up/down vote on the various judicial nominees, about whom I know nothing and recognize not a one. At least all the various school board officials, for instance, have a candidate statement in the publicly provided documents. I suppose the judiciary is supposed to avoid campaigning, but leaving the judges a cypher beyond their name and the position itself isn’t contributing to an informed process. (Update: Found bios of the judicial candidates.)
My recurring disappointment, though, stems from the inability of elected officials to actually represent us in this democracy. Making decisions about several billion dollars in bond measures is not my idea of a rocking Saturday night. Nor do I think the state of California or city of San Francisco are being well served. I don’t feel educated or informed or competent to judge the needs, or the match between the problem(s) and the proposed solution(s). Each individual measure would probably reward further study, but…not going to happen. And I would stake money on my decisions being more considered than most. (Not necessarily right, but more considered.)
I want elected officials to be forced to make the tough decisions about where the state or city spends its money, rather than foist the unpopular task of spending money (and having a vote on your record as “for taxes,” for example) back onto the voters. Maybe I’m too optimistic, but they are paid to discuss, debate, and otherwise evaluate these matters.
Oh well. I am grateful for absentee ballot availability, even for those (like me) who will not be absent on voting day. Even if I knew my votes going in, this process would take a minimum of 10 minutes at the polls. If you want into the booth undecided…oh boy. Voting lines must be brutal! I’m glad I haven’t seen them in years.
Remember…you really have no right to complain if you don’t vote. I’m voting, so I can complain about the process and the outcome. Please vote.