One bet..Sam will win the 1st district 6 year term.

Rikki... you might want to switch to decaf.

As one of the "chumps" (and I assume by chumps you mean the majority of those who voted in record numbers) I am pretty pleased that #3 passed.

And I assume when you refer to "bought whores" you mean officeholders electd by the people but who you oppose.

Thank goodness we have you to be more intelligent for us.

Personally, based on experience with other local legislative bodies in East Tennessee and elsewhere, I think having some at large members is a good idea. I think the concept of one reprsentative per district has worked pretty well in...well, virtually every other legislative body in America.

One change passed...one failed. That says a lot good about the voters.

I assume by progressive you mean people who think like you, right?

I think you are completly wrong on this and that a smaller Commission will be good for everybody. I think having at-large will bring a new and better perspective to the debate.

And, just so you can be accurate, we don't run political campaigns for candidates and never have.

I think having at-large will bring a new and better perspective to the debate.

laughing.

Yeah, right. This was a win, just not for the people.

I think the imposition of term limits is going to have far reaching implications on the running of county government. I think we, as a county, should have taken some time to observe those changes before we went running back to the Charter to reorganize government still more. I'm not real high on reactionary governance. Laws are best passed by cooler heads. But that's a conservative (small c) approach to governing oneself.

That said, I don't necessarily agree that this places Knox County government any more in the pockets of developers than it was before. They have fewer members to buy, but three of them are going to cost a whole lot more. Before we made these changes, developers got what developers wanted unless the affected citizens banded together and raised 10 different kinds of Hell about it. Now that these changes have passed, maybe the affected citizens have to raise 11 different kinds of Hell about it. It's pretty much status quo on the developers front. At least, that's my uninformed opinion.

I do think the at large seats hurt the rural districts, especially district 8. Serving in a legislature, unfortunately, is all about bringing home the bacon if you want to stay there. That puts the folks out in East Knox County way down on the list of people to make happy. If there's a choice between a new senior center in Farragut and a new library in Gibbs, you've probably got the two at large votes already leaning west.

Agree with you on three, it is very bad three passed. The at-large commissioners (who will end up being Republicans) is a dumb idea, and fewer progressives will be on the Commission. Four was bad as well, I'm glad that one failed.
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“Despite what our opponents may claim, there are no real or fake parts of this country. There is no city or town that is more pro-America than anywhere else – we are one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots.” ~ Barack Obama

The voting precinct report is not ready yet but it will probably show what happened with the wheel tax. District 5 is the likely culprit. Disengaged voters who believed what Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy spun in the daily paper. People who never call their County Commissioner and may not even know their name. People who don't understand what Commissioners really do.

This was truly amazing. Many people voted for Charter Amendment three because they wanted a nepotism policy. Did they know there already was one? So now we have two. People must really hate nepotism. Did this show an uninformed or disengaged electorate? But then again, if your only source for news is the Sentinel this is what happens. Trusting Jack McElroy has consequences.

What were people thinking when they gave away half their representation? Did they want to get rid of Lumpy Lambert? Lambert embarrassed these people. Jack McElroy whispered the word redneck and they lost their minds. Was this a redneck removal program? To some people image is everything so they wanted people like Dr. Colonel Richard Briggs. Never mind that the Dr. Colonel is the Commissioner who let Mike Ragsdale get away with his “reasonable man” escape hatch. Even Lambert was better than that. But now there will be no Jethro Bodines on County Commission. No more clown shoes in our government. Now we look like the City, the smart people.

Now County Commission either becomes a full time job or Commissioners just ignore the public and listen only to campaign donors. Which way do you think it will be?

The crushing defeat of Charter Amendment four is a preview of what will happen when the Metro Government Charter Amendment comes forward. The lesson learned is you can fool some of the people, just not all the time. And that while some people have an aversion to clown shoes and are very image conscious, when it comes to protecting their vote and their pocket book they don't listen to the Pied Piper of the News Sentinel.

Another crushing defeat for Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy was the passing of Charter Amendment two. Now the County Mayor loses some power. That is a good thing. Another defeat for the Metro crowd. No stacking of the Charter Review Committee.

The only thing left is for the inevitable lawsuits that we get to pay for. End result, we the people got most of it right. The biggest lesson is the need for another daily paper.

"Many people voted for Charter Amendment three because they wanted a nepotism policy. Did they know there already was one? So now we have two."

No, Nine.

Before we had a local policy, now we have a local LAW.

What do I know..I voted the opposite of the outcome..No on 3..Yes on 4.

At Fort Sanders I enjoyed meeting the 2 fellows that work for the vote yes folks.

We had a good time talking politics & football & the new urbanist.Oh yes when you're talking new urbanism our buddy Bill Lyons name came up.And yes we liked what he's doing.

Told 'em I respected & liked Elaine.I think Elaine has got a future in politics.How many Democrats do you know with that kind of Republican allies?

Tommy would be one & he sure knows how to win.I like Tommy too.

The No folks ran against the rich man..The Yes folks ran against the courthouse.They both lost.

So if you are running for office run against the rich courthouse crowd!

Like Cas did it.

The voters spoke & so we move on.

Let the 2010 games begin!

I believe the sheriff & constitutional officers will stay in Republican hands.Not so sure about county mayor mayor but the GOP primary should be a hoot.Hell the Democrats may even make a run for it.

But the shit hits the fan for county commission races..execpt for the 1st district.Sam's a done deal.

Whose on first in the 2nd,the 4th,the 6th & the 8th?

Will the 7th district appointee be R Larry's future opponent?

How soon after the New Year will those invites go out to folks for those at large county commission candidates fund raisers?

This is more than a little odd, where are the precinct reports?

(link...)

Normally this is up by 11:00 PM Election Day.

Is there a problem?

The Sentinel has the story of a "computer glitch" with absentee ballots.

(link...)

If Charter Amendment three is overturned it will probably require a recount.

This story may not be over.

I think that the commissioners who supported 3 should step aside in 2010. You know put your money where your....

Charter Amendment 3 passes. Final vote total unknown. Election Precinct report is finally up but the Election Cumulative report still does not have the absentee votes.

(link...)

No story in the Sentinel today. Why does it take an extra day to count 6,000 absentee ballots?

Odd, very odd.

Only needed 50 + 1 - and we got it.

Rikki,

Just for curiousity sake. . . Do you think at-large and single district representation has the city in ruins?

Very digitesque.