Satellite early voting site would have been an asset
Early voting was established as a way of offering voters a chance to cast their ballots before Election Day, as a means of convenience to their schedules and giving them a chance to avoid lines at the polls. It's proved successful, both locally and throughout the state. In the 2008 election alone, 37 percent of voter turnout in Randolph County was a result of the program.
Following up on a 2009 legislative bill, the Randolph County Commission and County Clerk Brenda Wiseman hoped to give voters an additional opportunity by creating a satellite early voting site. Tentatively, they considered the senior center in Mill Creek because of its central location and amenities. Anyone from Randolph County could have voted there, not just the people registered in that area.
For all that to happen, Wiseman, County Commissioners Mike Taylor, Julia Elbon and Chris See, Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Rob Beckwith and Randolph County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Jeff Loudin had to agree unanimously. On Wednesday, that didn't happen. Beckwith and Loudin turned down the proposal after a nearly 45-minute discussion.
Beckwith and Loudin had many questions, most of which the commissioners answered. They had concerns about costs and the number of Valley area residents who took advantage of early voting. However when it came to getting specific figures from Wiseman and she offered to provide them, the chairmen didn't move forward.
Why did they ask for the information and then decline to have Wiseman retrieve it? If they had gotten the figures, would it have changed their votes?
Regardless of how many Valley residents voted early in the last election, having a satellite site in Mill Creek and possibly some other locations would have been a great asset to our county voters. Early voting is a convenience. Going to the Randolph County Courthouse and finding a parking place isn't always so easy for everyone.
The chairmen also questioned the benefit of having a satellite site on an off-year election when a lower voter turnout is expected. Wouldn't that be the best time to see how the site would work out and what kinds of problems poll workers would encounter?
The group didn't have to make its final decision this week. In fact, they had until 120 days prior to the 2010 primary election. We wish they would have waited and taken the time to get some opinions from voters.
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WhatMeWorry
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11-04-09 6:29 PM
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Two more Democrats are going to Congress. I guess the Republicans are just being sneaky.
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WhatMeWorry
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11-04-09 4:11 PM
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I am not a Democrat but I do know the difference between registration fraud and voter fraud. I also recognize nonsense when I see it.
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Puremagix
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11-04-09 7:24 AM
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RealDem, You seem awful worried about what I do and when. Jealous perhaps? Since you and WhatMeWorry seems to have an attack of mental selectivity and refuse to see that ACORN has been involved in election fraud since Obama was associated with them back in Chicago before he was president, let me introduce you to a search engine called Google. I know both of you go to bed at night kissing Obama's feet, but try to look up long enough to see what's going on with your messiah. You may also want to take note of the election results today when you awake from your drug induced coma and see what's happening. You better enjoy your party's brief rise to power because after the next two elections the Democrats will have to sit in on C-SPAN to see what's going on in Washington. They sure won't be doing it from the halls of Congress or the White House. It's sad that people like you can be proud of a party that's destroying the country you live in. What a sad lot you are.
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FreedomGirl
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11-03-09 12:33 PM
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An asset to whom? ACORN and any other group needing even MORE access and ways to dupe the voting process with fraud and abuse? All I see in here is a bunch of extremists trying to find more ways to make it easier for organizations to commit even more voting fraud. That's life folks. Get over it. Everything has rules. Either go vote on the day picked or don't vote. We have exceptions for disabled, hospitalized and overseas people due to military service or business related. Anything else is ridiculous. I have never heard ONE legitimate reason for anything more. Haven't heard ONE person claim, "I wasn't able or permitted to find time to go vote other than they just didn't WANT to exert themselves to get up and GO!.
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RealDem
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11-02-09 9:58 PM
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Further, Pure you must be instrumental in your "business of 30 years," since you spend morning, noon and night posting comments on this site. I know no one with a "real job" that would be able to do that. Weren't you the one that proudly claimed to have done a survey of the obituaries for a couple weeks that somehow proved healthcare reform was not necessary? Looks like your "30 year business" keeps you really busy. The closest you have been to running a business for 30 years was "playing store." Do us all a favor and try to educate yourself and start "playing school" instead.
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RealDem
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11-02-09 9:40 PM
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Absentee ballots were a form of "early voting," in WV for many years.If one went to the courthouse to apply for an absentee ballot, you were steered over to the voting booth after completing you form. If one needed a ballot mailed due to illness or disability, it has to be completed and returned prior to Election Day or it will not be counted. Pure you are the one with the ridiculous statement that "Early voting should be outlawed in every form." It is very difficult to make so many misinformed statements and remain consistent.
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WhatMeWorry
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11-02-09 9:28 PM
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Who's fault is it when people like Puregarbage believe nonsense like ACORN committing widespread election fraud? Why would CNN report things that didn't happen? They did report that registration fraud happened. Many nonexistent people were registered and in most of the cases it was ACORN that reported it. Non-existent people can't vote whether they are registered or not. Unfortunately misinformed idiots can and they are being led by entertainers that have convinced them that they are journalists telling the stories that "Liberal Media" want to hide. That is a real threat to having a vibrant democracy, whether you vote early or not.
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Puremagix
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11-02-09 11:11 AM
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Oh, by the way Realdem, I have a job. I have been in business for over 30 years and yes, I let the people who work for me go vote and I don't dock their pay. As for ACORN, it's all a matter of public record, but you won't get the facts on CNN or the big three news wires because they are in Obama's hip pocket. Not my fault you are too lazy or unintelligent to get the facts.
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Puremagix
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11-02-09 11:07 AM
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Apparently you've never heard of an absentee ballot, have you? They can be used in case of travel or if you are disabled, but there are restrictions and we all know, you don't like restrictions. Right? Sorry, you lose again. The absentee ballots have always been there. Apparently you didn't know that.
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RealDem
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11-01-09 5:03 PM
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Pure obviously works at home or has no job at all. Vote on a lunch hour? Most people do not have an hour for lunch and even if they did, do not work within their precinct.The polls open at 6:30 and close at 7:30.Many workers are at work during those hours. You see a lot of people with jobs Pure, actually have to travel to them and would not have an endless lunch hour to drive there,vote and get back in time.Many take public transportation or ride with someone else. As previously stated ACORN has never been involved in election fraud.Pure is in fantasy land regarding white slavery.That is intellectually dishonest,but does it matter to Pure what is actully fact and fantasy? When the facts are not on your side and you cannot defend your ridiculous allegations, you have no resort other than to call me criminal, Anti-American and immoral. Why? Because I know what it is to have a job, family and home and empathize with those that do?Get a real job Pure and we'll talk.
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Puremagix
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11-01-09 1:31 PM
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You have a lunch hour and the polls are open early and close late, so there is no excuse for anyone not getting out to vote on election day. Real, do you know what "election day" means? It is ONE day where we have the opportunity to vote for our candidates. I can see that Real is a fool. In light of all the evidence proving that ACORN was involved in election fraud, he still holds to the myth that Obama's baby can do not wrong. Real shows the real mentality of the Democratic party. ACORN can do no wrong, even though it was shown to have links to prostitution by smuggling young girls from S. America to be sold into prostitution here in America. Real is an example of what the Democratic Party has become. Criminal, immoral and Anti-American. You should be ashamed to call yourself a Democrat, let alone an American.
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RealDem
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10-31-09 2:07 PM
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Early voting promotes voting and increases participation. For some that means election fraud. Puremagix knows little about those that work if he thinks that employers allow those to leave work and vote with pay. Why should people have to sacrifice income to vote? It should be made easier to vote not harder. If you have never had any difficulty voting on election day you probably do not have a full time job. Further, there has never been any election fraud involving ACORN. Turn off FOX and tune in to the world.
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Puremagix
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10-31-09 9:27 AM
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Early voting should be outlawed in every form. It promotes election fraud, like we saw in the Obama election with ACORN and damages our election process. We have an election day and I have never had a problem getting out to vote. Most employers will allow their employees to go to the polls if you ask. If not, then go before work or on the way home. Early voting is a scam and should be stopped for good.
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