Director of Planning and Development
Theresa Parks, director of planning for the City of Lawrence left and her replacement started working on Monday, February 3. It got my attention because it didn’t take long at all.
The job opening posted in the city’s website says that it was posted on January 23. That tells me that the chosen candidate was probably selected long before it was posted.
Let’s see how the City Council will react when he goes before them for confirmation.
It’s like putting the cart before the horse because they have no idea that he started working.
ID requirement for voting
When I pick up my medications at the pharmacy, sometimes I am asked to show identification depending of what kind of drug it is. I pull out my driver’s license and continue about my business. Coming October 1st of this year, we won’t be able to travel by airplane unless we have the REAL ID, instead of the regular driver’s license or some other form of identification. Some other forms of ID are a US passport, a valid foreign passport or even the permanent resident card.
When someone registers to vote, a vital requirement is to be a United States citizen; the individual swears to it but no one is allowed to ask for proof of that being the case. That always bothered me because I knew that permanent residents (green card holders), perhaps due to ignorance not ill will, were joining those rolls. There is also the issue of voters going to the polls only to find that someone else voted in his or her name.
The scandal created in Iowa caucuses made me look into it because it didn’t sound possible. At Least 18,658 extra names were found on Iowa Voting Rolls over eligible voters, according to census figures.
If we could, at least ask for ID it may result on being a deterrent for people to abstain from doing those dirty tricks. Almost 20 years ago the City Council voted unanimously in favor of requiring ID but the Legislature had to approve it. Dotty Incropera, Marie Gosselin and I took it personally to be filed and it died right there.
Think of the value of having to show identification before we vote yet, the moment it is mentioned, people go in two directions. Some say that it will infringe on the rights of voters while others believe it is necessary, particularly since we don’t know who is registering to vote. They may still be lying about their citizenship but at least, we’ll know it’s the person registered instead of voting for someone else.
Next time the bank teller who doesn’t know me asks for an ID, I will tell her that it is my right to access my money. I will yell at the pharmacist for implying that I am a drug dealer unless I prove who I am; and to the TSA, they can keep their plane. I’ll drive to my destination, instead.
Am I crazy? Just show the ID and keep going.
Ranked Choice Voting
I took this information from a brochure published by Voter Choice Massachusetts. I don’t have an opinion as to this change in the voting system is better or easier from what we are accustomed to but communities should be informed as to what it means since it will be coming on the ballot next November.
What is Ranked Choice Voting?
In addition to choosing one candidate as voters do today, Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) allows voters the option to rank backup choices in order of preference — first choice, second choice, and so on. Voters are not required to rank candidates beyond their first choice.
If no one wins a majority, the candidate tallied with the fewest votes is eliminated from the race. In that case, any votes that were cast for the eliminated candidate would then be reallocated to a voter’s second choice candidate. The process continues until one candidate reaches the majority threshold, making them the winner.
What’s happening in Massachusetts?
For–federal and state elections, there is a proposal to use RCV starting in 2022. There is a bill in the legislature that would enact this change. Concurrently with the legislative process, Voter Choice is working to place the same type of federal/state implementation on the ballot in November of 2020. The federal and state elections would not include presidential, county commissioner, or regional school board elections. Language of the bill may be viewed here: (5.414/H.719)
What are the benefits of RCV for voters?
Ensures Majority Support by eliminating the “spoiler effect,” to elect a candidate who appeals to a broad base of voters. In our current system, candidates can win the election despite being the last choice of most voters. Ranked Choice Voting guarantees the election of majority winners, whose support extends beyond a narrow base. RCV uses a series of “instant runoffs” to find a winner with a majority of votes in the final round.
Minimizes Strategic Voting by encouraging voters to choose their true favorite, without settling for the “lesser of two evils.” In our current system, if your favorite candidate is unlikely to win, what should you do? Some urge you to cast a “safe” vote for one of the front-runners, to avoid electing the one you like least. Others urge you to stick to your principles and vote for your favorite candidate — period. Voters shouldn’t be forced to take sides in this lose-lose dilemma. Ranked Choice Voting lets more voters vote for candidates they support, not just against the ones they oppose.
Promotes Diverse Candidates by encouraging more candidates to run for office without fear of vote-splitting. In our current system, many candidates are pressured to drop out, shamed as “spoilers,” and excluded from public debates. Ranked Choice Voting welcomes all candidates into the race, and sometimes simply deciding to run is all that stands in the way of winning. A study of four Bay Area cities with Ranked Choice Voting found women and people of color are running and winning office more often than they are in cities without RCV.
Curbs Negative Campaigning by rewarding candidates who reach beyond their base to find common ground with more voters. Voters are tired of toxic campaign rhetoric and mudslinging. With Ranked Choice Voting, candidates do best when they reach out positively to as many voters as possible, including those supporting their opponents. While candidates must still differentiate themselves to earn 1st-choice support, a campaign that emphasizes negative attacks over positive ideas may lose the crucial 2nd and 3rd choices needed to win. Comprehensive polling that compared cities with RCV to those without found that voters in RCV cities experienced campaign messages that were more positive and constructive.
