2011 US Election Day roundup

[downtown]

A little surprised to not have a thread about this. Yesterday was the last big US election day before the GOP goes to the polls to start voting for their presidential nominee in a few months. Here are a few of the highlights.

*Voters in Mississippi voted against the controversial "personhood" amendment, which would have basically banned abortion, and many forms of birth control. The PAC behind the amendment will still try to get it on the ballot in Florida, Ohio and Montana, but if it failed in MS (and it wasn't THAT close), it is unlikely to succeed anywhere in the country, except maaaaybe Utah.

*Ohio voters overwhelmingly voted to repeal Senate Bill 5, which would have removed collective bargining from public unions, ended tenure for k12 teachers, and instituted merit pay. This was likely the biggest win for organized labor nationwide in years, and a major political defeat for an already very unpopular Republican gov, John Kasich. Ohio is fundimentally a conservative state, but its also highly unionized, and folks thought their cops, firefighters and teachers had been pushed around enough.

*The father of the controversial Arizona Immigration Law, and State Senate President, has been recalled.

*Republicans won the Gov's office in Mississippi, and Democrats won in Kentucky.

Any other elections I missed? Thoughts on yesterday? Possible implications?

 

[Ajidica]

Heh, I completely forgot to even see what was on the Minnesota ballot yesterday. I don't think it was anything important.

Ah well, there is always next year.

 

[Cutlass]

The Mississippi and Ohio issue votes are heartening to see. But I don't expect them to have significant consequences. Otherwise most of the elections were local, and revolved around local issues and personalities. I just don't see any significant implications for next year here.

All politics is local. And there's a lot that that gets forgotten. Particularly by pundits that need something to talk about.

 

[emzie]

I was glad to be able to vote against Senate Bill 5, though my vote probably won't be counted for weeks.

I'm somewhat surprised the Mississippi abortion measure failed by the margin it did. If you can't get abortion banned in Mississippi (and you lose 5:4), I don't see you having much luck in Ohio or Montana.

Side note, I may end up moving my official residence US to Montana next summer.

 

[Ice_Tyrant]

Yea, down here all the democrats won, except the guy who ran for agricultural commissioner. The republican won that race. He might have lost because of jokes he made about folks from Eastern Kentucky, I hope that isn't the case though. I saw those jokes and they were obviously not mean-spirited or whatever. I got the impression that everyone that lives here makes jokes about Eastern Kentucky anyway (and I am also told the folks in Eastern Kentucky say the same about us folk in Western Kentucky too.) Honestly I don't really mind that he lost though... I have no idea, I didn't choose either of them since I honestly knew nothing at all substantial about either.

Honestly I voted for Galbraith Gatewood for governor. I had no expectations for him to win though really, I knew this was going to be Beshear's victory, though I can't say I really mind much. I'm just happy we don't got Williams for governor. I felt guilty for voting for Jack Conway for Attorney General, I'm still angry at him over all that "aqua buddha" crap. That and honestly the only reason I voted for him was because Palin and Rand Paul supported his opponent (which kind of surprised me I didn't expect a national figure like Palin to lend her support in races for offices like the Attorney General.)


It is nice to hear about the insane Personhood Amendment being shot down.

 

[downtown]

Why is Beshear so popular? I don't know anything about him.

PPP did some polling in Ohio after the election and found Obama beating everybody by 9-15%, because of a plugged in labor sector. Obviously, election night in 2012 is going to be tougher sledding than the enviroment last night, but Republicans can't really win in 2012 without getting Ohio, and that's going to be tough to do with Kasich has approval ratings in the 30s, and a unified labor force is out to get Republicans. Romney endorsing SB5 isn't going to help him...

 

[warpus]

Ignorant Canadian here. Was yesterday pretty much a day where you guys elect local representatives & vote on referendum-type issues all rolled into one?

 

[amadeus]

Heh, I completely forgot to even see what was on the Minnesota ballot yesterday. I don't think it was anything important.

Ah well, there is always next year.

There were no statewide issues yesterday. A couple of mayors, Bloomington city council, 100-something school tax hikes, and that was about it.

 

[kochman]

You forgot Virginia, which is a pretty key state!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/09/2011-virginia-elections-senate_n_1083603.html?ref=dc

Looks like even Huffington post can't paint that too prettily... I don't think VA has had a R state senate with a R Governor is a LONG time...

 

[Ice_Tyrant]

Why is Beshear so popular? I don't know anything about him.

I am not entirely sure myself. I think Williams(The republican candidate) is pretty unpopular here though, so that is part of why Beshear won by a landslide. Williams is seen as an obstructionist (He leads the State Senate). To be honest I've only recently started paying attention to local politics. I think Beshear is just seen as doing a good job and not making to many mistakes. I'm not positive though.

 

[downtown]

Ignorant Canadian here. Was yesterday pretty much a day where you guys elect local representatives & vote on referendum-type issues all rolled into one?

Yeah, pretty much. Not every state had anything significant on the ballot (I didn't have anything to vote on yesterday), but some states had off year elections for statewide offices, and a few others had state rep elections/ local ballot issues. Most people were voting on things like school taxes.

You forgot Virginia, which is a pretty key state!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/09/2011-virginia-elections-senate_n_1083603.html?ref=dc

Looks like even Huffington post can't paint that too prettily... I don't think VA has had a R state senate with a R Governor is a LONG time...

I did forget about that, good point. I don't really know anything about that race.

 

[kochman]

Also... Ohio rebelled against both parties it seems!

n fact, even as Ohio voters handed Democrats a win on union bargaining power, those same voters passed a ballot initiative to prohibit people from being required to buy health insurance as part of the national health-care overhaul.

 

[Skwink]

We in Washington also voted on stuff too, and passed 1183, getting the state out of the Liquor business. Link

 

[kochman]

We in Washington also voted on stuff too, and passed 1183, getting the state out of the Liquor business. Link

Thank GOD!
I hate when I visit my peeps in WA, and the liquor costs twice what it costs in the rest of the country.

State controlled liquor = BS

 

[NickyJ]

Ignorant Canadian here. Was yesterday pretty much a day where you guys elect local representatives & vote on referendum-type issues all rolled into one?

Basically, yeah. We voted for local state representatives, state senators, sheriffs, school board people, yadda yadda yadda, as well as a few local issues. Nothing state-wide or national. Only district.

 

[bhsup]

We didn't even have one yesterday. I think there were a few replacement races around Missouri, but I kept looking on the SecState's site and my county's site for election information, but never found anything. I finally just called city hall on Monday and they said there wasn't one this year.

Kinda bizarre since November is typically the biggest election each year with ordinance proposals, etc.

EDIT: You know, I wonder if this is related to the economy. Elections DO cost money, so maybe a lot of places are trying to consolidate them instead of doing one in February, April, August, and November.

 

[Leonel]

I-1183 passed here in Washington, meaning the government liquor stores will be shut down and shops will be able to sell it, although I don't seem to understand fully the proposition as I see alcohol in grocery stores all the time. Maybe I'll see and get to try some Absinthe next year

 

[emzie]

I-1183 passed here in Washington, meaning the government liquor stores will be shut down and shops will be able to sell it, although I don't seem to understand fully the proposition as I see alcohol in grocery stores all the time. Maybe I'll see and get to try some Absinthe next year

The stuff in grocery stores is probably under a state limit for alcohol by volume. When I lived in Ohio, grocery stores / gas stations could sell wine / beer and other alcoholic drinks up to 21% / 42 proof. To buy something stronger, you had to go to a licensed store.

 

[.Shane.]

*Voters in Mississippi voted against the controversial "personhood" amendment, which would have basically banned abortion, and many forms of birth control. The PAC behind the amendment will still try to get it on the ballot in Florida, Ohio and Montana, but if it failed in MS (and it wasn't THAT close), it is unlikely to succeed anywhere in the country, except maaaaybe Utah.

*Ohio voters overwhelmingly voted to repeal Senate Bill 5, which would have removed collective bargining from public unions, ended tenure for k12 teachers, and instituted merit pay. This was likely the biggest win for organized labor nationwide in years, and a major political defeat for an already very unpopular Republican gov, John Kasich. Ohio is fundimentally a conservative state, but its also highly unionized, and folks thought their cops, firefighters and teachers had been pushed around enough.

*The father of the controversial Arizona Immigration Law, and State Senate President, has been recalled.

Any links to how much each of these won/lost by?

Good thread, btw.

 

[amadeus]

Doesn't compare to Puritanisota, where all you can get is 3.2 beer unless you go to a (sometimes municipal) liquor store that isn't open on Sundays because of the bar owners' lobby.