Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!Who knew that minor controversies and cheesy Meatloaf embeds would have drummed up interest in the just-concluded Reston Association Board elections? According to the final figures released by the RA (warning: link downloads annoying Microsoft Word document, which we couldn't open on the WordPerfect software that came bundled with the TRS-80 powering Restonian World Headquarters), final turnout clocked in at 18.43 percent of the vote, the highest it's been in the past four years. Of course, turnout only edged up by about 1 or 2 percent and we're still only talking about 4,482 votes cast out of a possible 24,316 votes, so we'll just point out we've got a long way to go before we reach the 99.9 percent turnout levels consistently met by those other arbiters of austere architecture, the Soviet Union, the end.
News and notes from Reston (tm).
Friday, April 16, 2010
RA Board Election Turnout Up, But Just Slightly
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To repeat a comment on another thread, many pollsters will tell you that low turn-out frequently is a reflection of acquiescence in the status quo by the electorate.
ReplyDeleteLees than 5% of the electorate voted for President in 1789. Everyone expected Washington to be elected. And he was.
So despite the storm around the foolish Jock Walmart last summer, one could say that Restonians are generally happy with the way things are going in our fair City.
I agree with GoReston.com, the 2 vote margin for the Northpoint Director position deserves a re-count!
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:11
ReplyDeletegreenburg has until Sunday to ask for a recount he but has to pay for it.
Think Rick Beyer, Amy Justice and the SBC crowd will pass the hat or settle for 2 out of 3 not being bad?
Anon 1:02,
ReplyDeleteI think you're wrong about that, a large group of Restonians don't know what's going on with the board. You saw the reaction with the Rec center mess, I think that most feel that SBC will step in and act as citizen watch dog so they went back to their lives assuming that everything was ok.
As for the vote....come on, the whole slate wins but Peter loses by 2 votes...and now they want him to pay for a re-count....doesn't anyone else think that this just smells bad?! Given the history, I must say that I'm suspicious.
It's a documented fact that the online voting for North Point malfunctioned in the first days after the ballots were sent. At least 24 people were prevented from voting for the North Point rep when they attempted to vote online. Reston made a minimal attempt to right the wrong. Given the closeness of the margin (2 votes = 1 owner/occupant household) they owe it to the candidates to check what happened to these 24 voters.
ReplyDeletePlease RA do not repeat the mistakes of the last administration. Do the right thing and follow-up on these disenfranchised voters. Demonstrate that the new RA leadership is different from the last administration.
I am sure that Meatloaf could be coaxed back in to the studio to record "Three out of three is even better".
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:32
ReplyDeleteWhy aren't Restonians informing themselves about what's going with the Board?
Because they acquiesce in what RA is doing.
Pools tennis courts and trails are generally in good shape, not perfect, but good enough. Assessments are tolerable, higher than some would like, but tolerable.
The folks who've gotten active have been opposed to a specific action of the Board. Whether it's the fiasco of Snake Den, the HQ referendum, the Brown's Chapel land grab, each has stirred a small number of opponents and supporters of each action.
Generally, though, the overwhelming majority of Restonians are sated.
Yes, the vast majority of Restonians don't even pay attention enough to vote. Most Reston home owners can't tell you what they pay in small tax district 5 taxes, when and how they pay it. Much less what that money is used for.
ReplyDeleteMany invested in Reston assuming the home owners association was doing a good (enough) job. Reston appeals to people who appreciate the trails, parks and green spaces. It is only when you scratch below the surface you find that the real "vision" for Reston doesn't include nearly as much open space as we currently enjoy.
When their neighborhood is affected or their home value is impacted or their commute is jam packeded, they will pay attention to who is on the board and even connect the dots to the Fairfax County board and low and behold, then maybe they will vote.
We will see how seriously the RA Election Committee takes its work.
ReplyDeleteanon 8:16
ReplyDeleteWhat did you mean when you wrote: ". . . the real 'vision' for Reston doesn't include nearly as much open space as we currently enjoy."
RA land will not be developed. Certainly not without a referendum and it's hard to see such a proposal getting the vote necessary to proceed.