• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

COUNTDOWN to ELECTION DAY – Part IV

COUNTDOWN to ELECTION DAY – Part IV

TOMORROW is our 2012 Election Day - finally! The Janesville Gazette editorial urges us all to vote, "Challenges make your vote crucial." It concludes, "Do your civic responsibility. Vote Tuesday." I agree! Do YOU?

The Gazette editorial, “Challenges make your vote crucial” reminds us, “Many of our ancestors fought and died for our freedoms, including the right to vote. Honor their sacrifices, and don’t take that right for granted.

“Do your civic responsibility. Vote Tuesday.”

AGREE! Do YOU?!

IF you have questions about voting tomorrow, take advantage of FRANK SCHULTZ’s information report, “Things to know about voting Tuesday” which starts on page 1.

Another source for factual information about VOTING IN WI, use the Government Accountability Board’s “Voter Information Central.” This interactive online website links to the basics so that YOU can double-check on the LOCATION of YOUR polling place, check on your voting history, see a sample ballot for YOUR polling location, verify your registration to vote, etc. I was amazed as I explored the “Voter Information Central.” Take a look!

I was DISappointed to read Steven Verburg's article in the Wisconsin State Journal, “Mail-in ballots least reliable, experts say.”

Steve reports that it is less likely that absentee ballots are to be counted! "The portion of Americans voting by mail or at early balloting centers doubled from 14 percent in 2000 to 28 percent in 2008, according to a study released in October by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology. The study said in presidential elections, the proportion of uncounted votes among absentee ballots was 2.2 percentage points higher than the percentage for ballots cast in person.”

Forewarned is forearmed!

Craig Gilbert has again written a “Wisconsin Voter” article, “Whether it's Tammy or Tommy, Wisconsin will be making history” which was published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

It is an interesting review of the factors which would make the election of Tammy Baldwin or Tommy Thompson “historic.” Some interesting trivia with a couple surprises:

1. I did NOT realize that Tammy Baldwin would be the FIRST WOMAN from WI elected to the US Senate. And, in 1998 she was the FIRST WOMAN from WI elected to the House. And we are a “progressive” state?
   

2. I did not realize that Tommy Thompson would be the oldest person ever elected by Wisconsin voters to his first term in the Senate. Thompson is 70. Thompson would also be the first FORMER GOVERNOR ever to be elected from WI to the US Senate. Note: Other WI Governors elected to the Senate were sitting governors when elected.

Following our countdown to Election Day, I’ve posted on my WE THE PEOPLE blog:

“COUNTDOWN to ELECTION DAY” on November 1.

“COUNTDOWN to ELECTION DAY – Part II” on November 3.

“COUNTDOWN to ELECTION DAY – Part III.” on November 4.

I will then wait until Wednesday, the day after our 2012 Election Day to post on my WE THE PEOPLE blog. I dare to HOPE we KNOW the outcome of our presidential election. Time will tell…

I do HOPE you vote! The countdown continues and I follow the GAB’s OFFICIAL COUNTDOWN regularly. As I post this on my blog – the countdown is: 1 Day – 1 Hour – 50 Minutes – 20 Seconds. If you want to check on the countdown NOW as you are reading WE THE PEOPLE blog, use this link “Voter Information Center” posted by our WI Government Accountability Board.

Here we go…

Mr. E.

John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.