The 2014 Primary Election is behind us now and I have to tell you, it is embarrassing; no it is pathetic that this election saw such a dismal turnout in Clark County, the fourth lowest in the entire state.
Four years ago, 38.99% was the Primary election turnout and even that is ridiculously low. But, 28% is pathetic in a county that remains mired in economic uncertainty and under the shadow of a larger out of state city ready to impose their will upon us at any given moment.
What with so many of you always complaining about Portland calling the shots in our community, the only way to push them back is by voting in capable representatives at all levels willing to stand up to Portland and to remind them we are supposed to be partners in this so-called “metropolitan” region, not just a smaller community they can force their will on, sucking revenues away from and return nothing.
And it’s not just Portland, but the state as well that likes to keep raising our taxes to send up to Puget Sound while ignoring our needs down here.
We face many problems that have not been adequately addressed in the now over a decade that Democrats have held a stranglehold on the state, from transportation to education to illegal immigration, all keep being swept under the rug or kicked down the road to another time.
And such a pathetic voter turnout ends up leaving many of those same Democrats in office!
I don’t know for sure why so many register to vote then don’t exercise their privilege, no, duty to cast their ballot. But, I think County Auditor Greg Kimsey might have touched upon it somewhat when he was asked at the end of CVTV’s Primary Election coverage the night of the election.
The one distinctive feature about Clark County compared to the rest of the state is we are in the Portland media shadow. I think we have about 60,000 people travel in Oregon every day to work, so their connected, at least for 8 or 10 hours a day, they’re connected into the Oregon world, not so much into the Clark County, Southwest Washington world. That’s probably the biggest explanation of why Clark County turnout is below much of the rest of the state….. (audio cut out on CVTV at this point).
I cannot disagree as for too long, those elected to represent us in Southwest Washington have kowtowed and caved to whatever Portland wants, putting their wants about our needs.
We see it on the Vancouver City Council and all of the three Democrats sent to Olympia from the 49th legislative district as they adopted Portland’s “No light rail, no bridge” attitude over the CRC, even though Clark County citizens consistently opposed extending Portland’s financially troubled light rail a short distance into our community.
We see it as the so-called newspaper of record in Southwest Washington editorializes in favor of Portland frequently, alienating a large number of Clark County residents with smears and denigration of selected elected officials they personally hate.
We see it when candidates like Mike Briggs (D 18) announce that Clark County would not last one hour without Portland.
And we see it when a strong Republican candidate is undermined behind the scenes by party operatives in favor of an inexperienced novice because someone carries a personal grudge against the stronger candidate. Waving pom poms to a High School cheer isn’t what is needed to stand up and defeat special interests.
Such apathy doesn’t solve any of our problems.
Nearly 68% turned out to vote in the 2010 General election, but that was a year people were fired up to change the face of congress. Since then, and for many reasons I am sure, voters have cooled significantly, apparently opting to pull the covers up over their heads.
2006 saw almost a 36% turnout in the Primary with close to 62% turnout in the General. That was also the year Democrats seized control of both houses in Washington D.C. and held control in Washington State, much to our detriment ever since.
And 2014 is on track to see a significantly lower turnout.
Hang your heads in shame, Clark County. According to the 2010 census, we are the fifth largest county in Washington State, but see the fourth lowest voter turnout.
It is said we get the government we deserve and such low voter turnout gives us the crappiest of all governments, but what we deserve since so many of you cannot be bother to fill out a simple ballot and drop it in the mail or at a drop box.
Don’t come crying in November because you don’t really care for the candidates. You chose them by not voting for better ones in the primary last week.
