FYI, I am working on adding much more information about the candidates in this year's primary, which is only a month away! The current election info page doesn't even list all of the races, but I hope to add much more - including web sites, maps, etc. In case you see anything that looks funny on OP in the next week or so, it's probably me experimenting and developing this new database of candidate information.
Also, I could use some help with finding and entering data on all the candidates. Please let me know if you'd like to help. Thanks!
Comments
Web sites
I'm happy to report that almost all of the candidates (except for school board) have web sites! See http://www.orangepolitics.org/candidates . Let me know if I've missed any.
I'm a little disturbed about what this means for the culture of the County schools around using technology...
Endorsements
Hey, Ruby, I'd love to see the official call for individuals' endorsements (and actually info on candidate's organization endorsements would be helpful too). I might be the only person who votes absentee and reads OP, but I'd find this helpful further in advance of the election than usual since I'm particularly anxious this year to make sure I can vote in this primary.
I did write a post for this, but no one commented. So I'm thinking an official front page post would do it.
Yeah
Hey Joan. When you posted your request for endorsements, it was a bit early in the season. Since the rest of us don't have to vote from overseas, we can be alittle more last-minite in our decisions.
I had been planning to update and front-page your post this week. I assume that's OK with you.
more than okay...
Perfect!
I don't even have my ballot yet (have they even been printed?). I'm really hoping it makes it through the local postal system in a timely manner.
Thanks, Ruby.
look at your sample ballot online
In the past, I know a lot of people have wanted to see, ahead of time, a ballot that is the sample of the ballot that they will see when they go to the polls on election day. (Or when they go to an early-voting site.) Before now, the answer was that you couldn't see any such thing. The best you could do was to look at a list of all the candidates running anywhere in your county and piece together which district races were going to be on your own ballot. Or go by the BoE office and look at one.
But that just changed. The State Board of Elections now has a feature on its website that will show you your sample ballot in the upcoming election. You fill a field with your first and last name, then copy a security code designed to keep bots off the site, then click submit, and you will get a statement telling whether you are eligible to vote. You can then click "My Sample Ballot," and it will show you a PDF of the ballot that has all the races, and only the races, you are eligible to vote in.
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/VoterLookup.aspx?Feature=eligibility
If you are an unaffiliated voter, the system even gives you a chance to choose between, D, R, and U ballots (the U ballot just has nonpartisan races and referenda).
If your name is "John Smith, however, the system is bit more awkward. In that case you will get a screen full of John Smiths, in alphabetical order according to middle name. Unfortunately, there's no room on the screen for all the John Smiths, so your search stops in the middle of the John D. Smiths, and there's apparently no way to extend the search and get the rest of the list. Not good for John M. Smith. In that case, you should go back to the search screen, and click the second radio button that says "Show me my voter information." That will give you a search screen that calls for your first and last name, plus your date of birth. That should narrow the choices to only one screen, even for the John Smiths.
No word on the transfer tax?
I knew I was forgetting something
Thanks for reminding me, I will add links to the "pro" and "con" web sites on the issue. We have had some discussion of it here: http://www.orangepolitics.org/tags/transfer-tax
Pro Website
Neloa Jones Website is up
link???
I'm not sure that link is working the way you think it is. Could there be a small typo or space missing? I get lots of pop-ups about how to advertise my campaign.
Expired domain
5 sites for fall early voting
Orange County has posted its fall early voting schedule, up from four sites in the 2008 primary and from 3 sites in the 2004 general election. There will be two sites with evening hours and more Saturday hours. One of the sites is near Cedar Grove.
Locations:
MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM, 250 East Franklin St, Chapel Hill
CARRBORO TOWN HALL, 301 West Main Street, Carrboro
ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough
Dates and Times:
Thursday - Saturday, October 16th - 18th, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Monday - Saturday, October 20th - October 25th, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday, October 27th - 31st, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 1st, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Locations:
SEYMOUR SENIOR CENTER, 2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
NORTHERN HUMAN SERVICES CENTER, 5800 NC Hwy 86 North, Hillsborough
Dates and Times:
Thursday - Friday, October 16th - 17th, 12:00 Noon - 7:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday, October 20th -October 24th, 12:00 Noon - 7:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday, October 27th - October 31st, 12:00 Noon - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 1st, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.