Elections can be zany. Where to vote? When to vote? Why are they running? Why does this matter? What’s the deal with minority-party representation? Gabrielle Parisi, a member of the political action group Citizens Working For A Better Bridgeport, has had candidates ask her to publish an explanation to help voters understand the complex process of elections, particularly the race for Board of Education starting with the September 10 Democratic primary and then the November general election. She provides insightful instruction on the election maze in this narrative:
The other night I was out with friends and Bridgeport Politics, more specifically, the Board of Education election reared its head–at least for a minute. After I sat there and watched one of the smartest people I know pull out an envelope and pen from her bag and diagram out the election process and requirements for Bridgeport, as she was trying to understand it, I knew I needed to write this.
It took me some time to understand the inner workings of the BOE election process, and I use the term “time” loosely. It took me getting beaten in the head scores of times with the facts, for me to have a eureka moment.
The Facts:
The Board of Education has a “minority party” representation requirement. Translation: The board cannot be comprised of all Democrat members, all Republican members, or all Working Families Party members. By order of state statute, there must be a minimum of three BOE seats out of the Bridgeport BOE nine seats, occupied by a minority party member.
Current BOE composition: Nine members. Six seats are held by Democrats and three are held by Working Families Party members.
There are five seats up for grabs in the general election. Three of these seats are being vacated by Democrats who are choosing not to run again. One seat is being vacated by a WFP member who is choosing not to run. The fifth open seat is currently occupied by a WFP member who is running for reelection in the general election in November.
The Primary Election:
The Democratic Town Committee (DTC) has endorsed a slate of three candidates to run for the School Board, in hopes of winning the three seats that are being vacated by the three Democrats this year, and maintaining the Democratic representation as the “majority party” on the school board.
The DTC endorsed slate has been challenged by another Democratic slate that hopes it can take the three seats being vacated by Democrats this year. The primary is set for 9.10.2013.
In the final primary vote tally, even though there are two separate and distinct slates running, there are still six candidates. The top three vote-getters from the totality of the six candidates, regardless of the slate on which they are running, will move on to the General Election in November. The candidates who win the primary will be the only three Democrats running in the general election come November.
Because this is a Democratic primary, the only portion of the electorate in Bridgeport allowed to vote in it are registered Democrats. Effectively, what this primary is doing, is allowing the registered Democrats to choose their party’s candidates for the general election.
The General Election:
The general election will be held on 11.5.2013. Because there are five seats up for grabs, five candidates will win. The candidates to consider will be the three Democratic primary winners and candidates from the other two relevant political parties in Bridgeport; the Republican Party and the Working Families Party. In the general election, though there are five seats open, each voter is only allowed to vote for three candidates. ANY Candidates, from ANY party. Voters can feel free and should be encouraged to split their voting tickets to vote for the candidates whom they feel will do the best job regardless of party affiliation.
The winners of the general election will become Bridgeport’s new school board members. Because of the State Statute which requires a minimum of three seats on the School Board to be held by minority party members, no more than three Democrats can win. The top five vote-getters will win the election, as long as the top five are comprised of three Democrats or fewer. And in this election that requirement is sure to be met because there are only three Democrats who will move on to the general election.
Voters registered as “unaffiliated” have until 9.9.2013 to register as Democrats to vote in the 9.10.2013 primary, if they wish to do so, even temporarily.
The answers for Bridgeport’s school system begin at the voting booth. We are not powerless. We can turn out and vote to change our future. Give voice to the need to reform. VOTE in the primary on 9.10.2013.
Thank you, Gabrielle Parisi. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but this subject would require multiple pictures.
Bridgeport Democrats need to vote in the primary and all registered Bridgeport adults need to vote on election day to select their three choices of the most caring, competent and knowledgeable adults who are running for BOE seats for the coming period.
Setting school policy, monitoring school activity, evaluating results of programs and people and expecting open, accountable and transparent behavior and process are duties to be expected. Stop, look and listen for comments on these topics. There is a good deal of disinformation circulating by candidates who have not attended sufficient BOE meetings, reviewed minutes of BOE meetings they have missed and neglected to understand the financial issues well disclosed on the Public Schools site. Make up your mind and state your opinion, try using facts that are current, but in the final analysis, use your vote. Time will tell.
Good go at it, Gabrielle.
Now boil it down so most people understand and care. This ain’t on you. If someone had figured out how to do this over the last 100 years, they would have done so. It’s a pickle.
Voters–most of the time–look at this stuff one step at a time, if they look at it at all. Voters do not care–most of the time–until they see a November ballot. The results of the November election are final: you either win office or lose. People like that.
Primaries were envisioned as a way to stop political elites from controlling political parties. Usually, the primary provides competing elites a method of settling differences among themselves with the votes of friends, relatives and a municipal payroll under control of someone or another.
Lennie: “… The top five vote-getters will win the election, as long as the five are comprised of three Democrats or fewer.” Does that mean (theoretically) the Dems could get shut out in this election because they already hold seats on the BOE?
Theoretically, yes. But it will not happen.
Ms. Parisi,
I have seen OIB posters write they are going to bullet one candidate. What does that mean and what effect could it have?
countdown, Jimfox used the expression a few posts ago and I was wondering myself what that expression meant. Please let us know, Jimfox.
The meaning of “bullet vote” is to vote for only one candidate even though you can vote for more than one (e.g. three in the upcoming BOE election). This gives that candidate a slight advantage, as it then does not up the vote count for the other two candidates the bullet voter might have also voted for.
Of course, it’s anyone’s guess what’s going through Jimfox’s head these days.
Clever, clever, clever, Booty.
*** FOR THE BEST SCENARIO ON THE BOE, IT’S A COMPLETE NEW BOARD FOR STARTERS. *** THEN FOLLOWED BY AS MANY NEWBIES AS POSSIBLE ON THE COUNCIL, EXCEPT FOR A FEW MINOR EXCEPTIONS. ***
*** In my homeland of “Piensa Lo Bien,” the election losers must take turns driving the winners around for three days after the swearing-in ceremony, in the winning party’s politically decorated horse & buggy and the driver dressed in a black suit. *** GREY POUPON IS EXTRA ***
Some of these political postcards coming in the mail lately are really “whacked,” with made-up negative information about the challenge slate! Claims of things they either supported or did not support depending on whether it was good or bad for the city. Where do they get or make up these political lies, I wonder? The endorsed slate and supporters seem really desperate to win by any means necessary from the look and sounds of things! *** ZOMBIE POLITICS ***