March 14 elections!
According to Ballotpedia there are only three elections tomorrow. However, after doing some research on my own (Googling “elections on Tuesday March 14”), there are actually seven.
If you live in one of the places I name where an election is taking place, please, please vote today or tomorrow.
If you don’t know where your voting location is, click on the hyperlink for that election and I can almost guarantee you the election info will be right there for you. If not, comment on this post and I will do my best to help.
Most of these elections will directly impact a very small number of people, but as you know, every election matters, and every vote counts, so let’s get into it.
This is in no particular order other than which link I opened first, quite frankly.
Newton Massachusetts is voting on an override proposal. The proposition is literally called “Prop 2 1/2.” There are three questions on the ballot:
Shall the City of Newton be allowed to assess an additional $9,175,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding Public Schools for student needs, street and sidewalk paving and safety improvements, tree planting and maintenance, park and recreational facility improvements and maintenance, improvements to Horace Mann Elementary School, sustainability and climate resiliency actions, and Senior Services programming and operations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023?
Shall the City of Newton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2 1/2, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to renovate or replace the Countryside Elementary School?
Shall the City of Newton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2 1/2, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to renovate or replace the Franklin Elementary School?
Vote Yes For Newton, which supports the override proposal, is using left-leaning ActBlue to process their donations. They argue that since 2002 there has been an override proposal every ten years, and that the money has been allocated to vital city improvements.
No Override Newton uses a right-leaning donation engine. Other than that, it’s a tax increase and, Republicans are never fans of that.
So, I certainly don’t have enough information to endorse one or the other, but I’d say, it’s a tax increase that helps the city, vote yes.
On to Minnesota. Remember Vermont’s “Town Meeting Day?” Well, Minnesota has “Township Day.” This is, as they call it, “direct democracy in action.” All 1,777 townships in Minnesota will meet and decide on the most local issues. So, if you live in Minnesota and want your voice heard in your neighborhood, attend your Township Day. I’m going to assume it’s not online this year so, if you go, wear a mask.
New Hampshire is also having “Town Meeting Day.” It’s a northeastern thing, it seems. The only info I can really find is that the weather looks bad and it might impact attendance. Safety comes first, but, if you are able, make your voice heard! I wish there was more info on important races. It doesn’t help if I know these only after the fact
Next we have Idaho.
There are over a dozen school districts that have bond and levy measures before voters. Basically, the results will decide how much funding the district will or will not receive. Here are two of the districts and their specific needs. Needs vary by district but not by all that much.
Kuna Joint School district (SD) - includes parts of Ada and Canyon counties
This would fund a new elementary school, renovation and expansion of Kuna and Freedmont Middle Schools, a new classroom wing, expanded athletics at Swan Falls High School, a new bus facility, and necessary maintenance projects throughout the district.
Meadows Valley SD
This measure would provide, salary and benefits for two teachers I can only assume would be let go otherwise, as well as new assistants for the administrations, the ability to hire a teacher for business and computer classes, as well as all the equipment that would include. There would also be funding for general curriculum and supplies, for remodeling the weight room and for hiring staff to supervise. Finally, it would help with sports funding as well including hanging a sign at City Park for the sports teams, providing buses for games and practice, and providing better equipment. Playground improvements, including basic safety, are included in this measure as well.
The remaining school districts are as follows:
Horseshoe Bend
Camas County
Nampa
Notus
Parma
Cassia Joint
Butte County Joint
Challis Joint
Emmett ISD
Gooding Joint
Jerome Joint
Castleford Joint
Payette
Twin Falls
Hansen
Cascade
Weiser
If you live in any of these School Districts, please please exercise your right to vote and vote to get these schools the funds they need. These are all elections where the turnout is typically less than 10%, so your vote can really make all the difference.
In Nebraska, the Millard Public School District has their levy override election. Like Idaho, this is all about making sure schools have enough money to do the things they need to do. These elections are decided by very few votes, your vote could change the outcome of this election. I know I’ve said it before, but I think it’s important to keep saying.
And our final set of elections come from Phoenix, Arizona.
There are two city council seats that went to runoff in their general election. The runoff is Tuesday.
THIS ELECTION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SHIFT THE POLITICAL BALANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
I hope that was loud enough.
In District 6, council member Sal DiCiccio, a Republican, has been termed out. Running to replace him are Sam Stone, who holds all the same values as DiCiccio, and Kevin Robinson who is a Democrat, and holds the same values as Democratic Mayor Kate Gallego.
If this seat flips, it changes the makeup of the Phoenix city council. Arizona has a Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, but the legislature has an ever-so-slight Republican majority. And they are making things HELL for the Democrats. Any political body that can be flipped anywhere, but especially Arizona, will determine whether they go along with whatever those Republicans try to do or did when Doug Ducey was governor (a name I wish I didn’t remember, quite frankly). If you live in District 6, consider this your most important election of 2023.
District 8 pits a Progressive Democrat against Moderate Democrat. If you say you care about the difference, THIS is where you can make your voice heard.
Incumbent Councilmember Carlos Garcia is the Progressive. His opponent is Kesha Hodges Washington who is the Moderate. They are both Democrats. Either way, the seat stays in Democratic hands. But, Carlos Garcia does have progressive views, and the way we get more progressives in Washington is by voting for them at this level while uniting with all Democrats in state and national races. In a race like this “Vote Blue No Matter Who” isn’t as important, though I think Garcia does identify as a Democrat regardless.
So that’s the elections.
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Happy Registering and Happy Voting!