Well, boys and girls, it's an election year. Do you know what that means? It means some of the people who control your life will be chosen this year. The question is whether you will have a say in who those people are.
One of my rules in life is that if you don't vote, then you're not allowed to complain about the politicians who get elected. So if you want to rant and rave in the comments section of this blog, you'd better be sure to vote in the upcoming election. (Of course, I have no way to enforce this, since last time I checked, we still have a secret ballot. However, with those new computer voting machines, I'm not entirely sure!)
This year, we will have a Primary Election on August 7, a Primary Runoff Election on August 28, and a General Election on November 6. To help you keep track of all these dates (and many others), this blog now has its own calendar. To get to it, just look on the right side of this page where it says Links and you'll see a link for the Natchez Calendar. This is not your typical Natchez calendar - it's more like a political calendar. This is where you can come to find out when all those governmental bodies have their meetings, and when all the relevant election deadlines are, etc. I've just started it, and I expect it will get full of goodies soon.
In this election, we'll be selecting all the people who run our county: Chancery Clerk, Circuit Clerk, Constables, Coronor, County Attorney, Justice Court Judges, Sheriff, Supervisors, Tax Assessor, and Tax Collector. Quick tell me everybody who's running for all those jobs. You can't? Well, how about who holds those positions now. That's better, but you still missed a few. You'd better check out another new feature to this blog. Look under Links again, and you'll see 2007 Candidates, which is the cheat sheet for the elections. Right now, all I have are the basics, but I'll be updating it as the Election progresses. So keep in touch.
Oh, I'm not finished with this election yet. In addition to all those county folks, you'll be voting for all kinds of state officials as well. There are all the statewide elections: Governor, Lt Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Agriculture & Commerce Commissioner, and Insurance Commissioner. I didn't even bother with them on my list of Candidates - you're on your own there. I just concentrated on those that represent Adams County in some capacity. That includes Public Service Commissioner and Transportation Commissioners for the Southern Region, District Attorney, 2 State Senators, and 4 State Representatives. Are you tired yet? Don't worry, I won't quiz you this time. But your exam is on August 7. I hope you'll be prepared!
Just in case you have no idea what district you live in for any of these candidates, I have just the thing you need - under Links again. Election Maps! Aren't you excited? No? Gee, I thought you would be.
PS To be able to vote, you first have to be registered. Are you registered? The deadline is July 7. (It's in the Natchez Calendar, of course!)
UPDATE: I've added a better map of Adams county to Election Maps. The best way to understand the meaning of the term gerrymandering is to draw election boundaries on a map. It makes you wonder if the lines weren't drawn to include all someone's relatives! Check out the Supervisor's District 4 for a good example.
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15 comments:
I know exactly who my Supervisor is and cannot wait to hopefully vote him out of office; especially since he has in the past made the remark he is hanging on until he gets his retirement........
This is a great public service! May I'll actually know something this election.
The Supervisor's Districts were gerrymandered by Federal Court Order in order to ensure 3 black majority districts.
Maps are great!! Color coding districts/wards would help even more.
Yes, we need a change in city leadership, every last one of them. Every time the subject comes up someone says "they're on the take". I suppose so, as disappointing as that is, I'm beginning to agree. Sadly, they think they're above the law so why not take behind our backs. In the last city council meeting Rev. Scott likened the Atty. General and the Judge to the KKK. He said "This Atty. General and this Judge....they ain't got nothing. They are violating the law themselves and they could be in jail...if the Federal government (would) do right". At the end of his speech several in the audience clapped and Bubber West gave a hearty applause. Poor Rev. Scott. I'm sure he's a nice man who's encouraged to participate in this display of defiance and foolishness.
Correction of a typo--the Justice Dept. was trying to ensure 2 black majority districts.
I'm in Arcenaux-Mathis' ward. She is proof that racism cuts both ways in Natchez. It's painfully obvious that she could care less about her white constituency. I'm hoping either Paul Johnson (word is he is considering it) or Jim Sanders will run against her. She needs to go.
Paul Johnson? The Fire Chief? The same one that failed a drug test but wasn't fired because of his political connections? Yea that's what this City needs.
PAUL JOHNSON!!!! The man who took care of Mayor Phillip West's daughter throughout her life. The man she calls "DADDY."
That's right Mayor Phillip West is Danessa's (she works in his office) father. Paul Johnson was married to her mother the entire time that Danessa was a child and into her adult life.
Talk about political connections. Who would fire a man that put bread in your child's mouth when you did not.
Well Phillip wasn't Mayor when Paul was found doing drugs. But that's not the point. And yes it's true, Mayor West's daughter does work at City Hall.
She worked there before he was Mayor.
It's still all politics. If he tested positive for drugs he should have been terminated. The city terminated an employee who tested positive for marijuana. The man only had about three months before he would have been eligible for full retirement. If the city is going to make concessions for one employee, it should be done for all.
This was a public works employee who never made a lot of money but worked hard to get to his retirement point. He was not even given the opportunity to use his vacation and sick time to make up for the retirement.
I am not in agreement with his use of marijuana, but if you do for one, do it for all.
As for the Paul Johnson, his child, Phillip's child, etc., I don't think she should be working in the mayor's office. We should all refrain from the appearance of wrongness.
Paul Johnson was suspended from using a city vehicle for a year is what I was told. I wonder if he has had to fire any firefighters for the same offense.
All this is nothing. You guys should ask Stan Owens what happened to him when he wanted to help with the shelters during Katrina. Paul Johnson refused to allow him time off and when Stan went to the Mayor Paul took all of his City equipment, car, cell phone radio, Stan was on his on.
I agree with you, anonymous. All of that is nothing. Yes, Stan should be asked what happened when he wanted to assist with the Katrina Disaster. Maybe we would find out that Paul initially granted Stan a certain amount of time off. Maybe we’d learn that the two sides couldn’t distinguish between a reasonable amount of time and the necessary amount of time. Maybe there was a priority problem for both sides. One may have been interested in obligations to the City of Natchez, while the other may have been drawn to charitable work despite being paid by the city to do a job. Maybe we would know how often Stan updated his employer about his plans to return to work. Finally, we could figure out what happened to all those political connections of Paul’s when Stan was granted time off by the Mayor despite Paul’s objection. By the way, why would he need all of that City equipment if he wasn’t on City time? He clearly asserted his allegiance to something other than what he was paid to do. Personally, I admire and respect Stan’s post-Katrina efforts. I’m sure those most affected by Katrina can appreciate what he did more than anyone. However, from my position here atop the bluff, I’m not so sure the ends justified the means for tax-paying citizens of Natchez and co-workers as well.
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