Florida Keys News
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Voters oust Ward, force runoffs
BY GWEN FILOSA Citizen Staff
gfilosa@keysnews.com

The Florida Keys ousted its state attorney after one term, dissed a former mayor and forced a 20-year incumbent on the School Board into a runoff this fall, in Tuesday's primary election.

With voter turnout at 30 percent, or 14,800 ballots cast, the primary didn't rise to Supervisor of Elections Harry Sawyer's prediction of a 40 percent turnout.

But...

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Part of the reason for the

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 11:43pm by h2083163@rtrtr.com
Part of the reason for the low voter turnout is the horribly biased 2-party electoral system that disenfranchises non-Democrats and non-Republicans.. The "non-partisan" (even if the registered voter identifies with a party such as Libertarian or Green) ballot was ONLY for MCSD School Board, and the abysmal quality of the candidate choices definitely discouraged a lot of folks from bothering to vote.

What has become of journalism?

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 4:01pm by WordWrite
Flabbergasted by Ms. Filosa's reporting that "Mira-Talbot, who wore a striking fuchsia dress that matched the colors of her campaign signs, appeared elated." My, my. What were the other candidates wearing? The Citizen is now a fashion sheet, and not a very good one.

Ward & Saunders: Thank you.

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 3:51pm
Both these men leave a good record of service. Sure, there have been mistakes, but all and all, it's a good record. Newcomers: It's your turn now to serve and to make your mark as these two have done well. We hold all speculation off, and give you each a clean shot at meeting your potential as public servants.

70 percent of residents did

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 1:56pm by 666
70 percent of residents did not even bother to vote. No wonder we have such crappy Government. People just can't be bothered.... What a country!

666, you hit the nail on the head

Submitted on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 10:03am by trapper
they complain but don't vote; they don't realize the priviledge it is to vote, indeed this country is in a sad state.

The people are the Government

Submitted on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 9:18am by Sal Gutierrez
So as logic goes "Crappy People" cause bad government....I’ll buy that Mr. Wizard

70 percent of the residents

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 11:18pm by Bad Dog
are illegals and can't vote.

FireAndy

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 5:57am by Sam Clemens
I can't believe 47% of voters thimk the school board is doing a great job. Andy's trying to buy the election, but what is the price to sell out Monroe county's children.

Amen

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 4:10pm by kwkids
47% of those who voted. They must not have kids. Maybe that is why the absentee and early voter results that we announce early where heavily in his favor. But we all know it is about the three P's..Procrastinate, poke the blame at someone else and...and...crap, I never can get that third P. Oh, PUT someone else in this school board seat!

Or maybe they checked out the alternative.

Submitted on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 1:17am by Rabbi Flanagan

Closing your eyes and throwing a dart is not a god way to make a voting selection. Anyone with the wherewithal to scrutinize the competition would realize that Griffiths was the only responsible choice.

Before you vote against someone, you'd better know for whom you are voting!

Any one of the candidates

Submitted on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 2:55pm by kwkids
Any one of the candidates running would do a better job. Did you follow this election, attend the meet and greets and forums? I did. Any one of the candidates that were running had a clear view of what the issues in this district are and had fresh..and sometimes extreme ideas of movement to improve. AG's position is nothing is wrong with the district he has been participating in running for 20 years. Heck, he has been around long enough that there are few people still alive that he can blame...all his wisdom and heralded contacts have put us right where we are today. Zero accountability. So if you are for the same old carp, Andy is a great option. If you believe in the urgent necessity of kid's like mine that are doing the right things and preparing for college, while having the programs they need scrapped and the teacher's the depend on kicked around like a hacky sac then Yvette is the way to go. No hidden agenda. No prescripted allegence. Experience in making decisions in a small business environment that does not have the tax payer's backing up mistakes.

I went to the forums

Submitted on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 9:22pm by kwstudent
The other candidates ranted and raved. Or offered simple platitudes. With an elected superintendent, any board can't truly be accountable b/c the super caters to his/her own constituency, tells the board what he wanted them to hear and did the opposite. This county is finally moving forward with an appropriate management model. As I recall, the referendum to appoint a super was turned down several times. You get what you deserve in a patronage system like we had in the past. And some people went to jail b/c of it.

Please stop...

Submitted on Fri, 08/17/2012 - 5:06pm by kwkids
I am laughing to hard. We have not had an elected super in years. Burke was appointed by the Governor...his replacement was recommended by him and approved by the board.

Actually, that's 47% of 30% of all the voters.

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 3:48pm
Albeit, scary numbers given all the scandals and continual upheaval with teachers and financial woes. But Andy apparently has his supporters. Don't think for one minute that there isn't any behind the scenes power playing by some of the other seated Board members. Dick knows that if Andy is voted off, he has no 3rd vote to eliminate the finance heads, and replace with Steve's firm. Yes, one hand muddys the other.

Explanation

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 1:05pm by Rabbi Flanagan
Forty-Seven percent voted for Andy Griffiths. You must not understand how elections work.

I meant that...

Submitted on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 9:09am
even the 47% (almost half) was only of the ones that actually voted at all. We only had a 31% voter turnout. This race proves that anything can happen in an apathetic turn out.

One-Term Ward

Submitted on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 3:01am by Fletch

Don't let the door hit ya

Where the good lord split ya ... now onward to the election

and now let's hope we have heard the last from RINO McPherson

... the school board ... we deserve the continued corruption given the field of candidates and the electorate who show once again that they are product of the Monroe County school system

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