Residents of Uptown were supposed to go to the polls Tuesday, August 20, to elect new members to the Uptown Community Planning Group, which comprises Hillcrest, Middletown, the Medical Complex area, Mission Hills, University Heights and Bankers Hill. Others just went on their phones or desktop or laptop computers with the intent to vote virtually.
But something happened a long the way.
The voting system broke down — literally — the computers running the count screwed up and froze. And those running the show cancelled the election.
One local resident called it “a fiasco.”
Many of those who stood in line were outraged.
So here are two posts by those who were candidates: Patty Ducey-Brooks and Mat Wahlstrom.
Interesting that no local media covered the break-down and halt to voting contemporaneously. Sure, The Times of SD ran Mat’s article but has anyone seen anything else since Tuesday?
Que sorpresa! This is what you get when 1) corrupt politicians decide to rig elections and 2) they outsource the job to lackeys with no experience in running elections.
Speaking of elections: Every local candidate on the November ballot should be asked to comment on this travesty. This means you, Todd Gloria, Stephen Whitburn, Heather Ferbert, and Brian Maienschen.
David Garrick of the U-T and Andrew Bowen of KPBS have reported extensively on the Uptown power struggle. We have to assume they are now working on stories about this Vibrant fiasco. After all, why wouldn’t they?
Them commenting would be an exercise in futility. Toad’s busy playing DNC delegate mapping his imagined future. Actually the silence is nice.
C.S. — see my new post for today. It’s possible Gloria will be kicked upstairs.
Wouldn’t OddTodd be a blight on The Harris/Walz admin?
We got rid of Cindy Marten that way; he’d be buried in the bureaucracy. Anyhow, it’s a thought. I know you and others are voting for Larry Turner but it may not be enough.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Paper ballots don’t break down. Just sayin.
Members of Vibrant Uptown, the group that worked with Gloria to get rid of his critics and are running this election, should seriously consider going by the acronym MUGA: Make Uptown Great Again. They, like Gloria, seem to have no problem using authoritarian tactics. Such as disbanding a fairly elected board and voter suppression.
I just got a notification from the group running this election that “it’s on again” for Friday, August 30. Do people know about this? And if I voted “online” earlier this month do I have to vote again? Shame on these people.
Susan, any way you could send us a photo of the notice? obragblog@gmail.com
Hi Frank,
I just sent it to you – both a pdf and forwarded the email I received. Let me know if you don’t receive it, it is coming from my work address.
I received the notification yesterday – so there is very little notice for the voting public. Also by holding an in-person election on Friday of Labor Day weekend could lower the turnout.
I am not sure how anyone would know about this unless they subscribed to their list-serve, as I did. The group intends to announce the results on September 3rd.