Anemic Voter Turnout For Park Cities
Less than 4 percent of registered voters made their voice heard in Saturday’s City Council election, a number even lower than the 5.77 percent average for Dallas County as a whole.
Highland Park’s turnout — 7.49 percent — was downright prodigious compared to its neighbor to the north. In UP, 561 of the city’s 15,033 registered voters headed to the polls or sent in absentee ballots.
Some people complain about the Community Leagues’ power in municipal elections in the Park Cities. You know what else is powerful? Actually voting.
Check out the precinct maps on the Dallas County Elections site for more info.
Lack of comments echos the situation.
Here is one who does, often, complain about the League’s power in UP (don’t know about HP), and who does vote, but I will say that until people are willing to step up again and challenge the League’s pre-ordained slate, it really doesn’t matter if people vote or not. I can certainly understand if other “complainers” feel that the opportunity to unseat one of the five League puppets is not much of an opportunity, and end up playing with their kids on that Saturday.
Related to this is the fact that the League clearly knows it is to its advantage that people don’t go out and vote. That’s why they do almost zero publicity/advertising for their candidates unless, like in 2010, there is opposition. Another reason I wish more people would run. 2010 was the first time in nearly a decade that ANYONE had opposed the league. They have made sure that there has not been a council member east of Hillcrest since the 1950s, paving the way for this to become SMUniversity Park.
That said, I can’t complain about people not running too much, as it’s sure something I wouldn’t be able to do.
UPDad – Don’t have a dog in this hunt, but why would anyone spend money on “publicity/advertising for their candidates” if there is no opposition? Of course you are only going to see League signs when there’s opposition.
for pete’ sake,
we need an “occupy goar park” movement!!
come on all you fringe dwellers east
of hillcrest and west of lomo alto.
in the words of one of the park cities favorite
sons, bob marley:
“get up, stand up,
stand up for your rights.
get up, stand up,
don’t give up the fight.”