(I wanted to be sure everyone saw this (I forgot a couple clubs) and I'll only refer back to it as needed. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
I don't plan on making a lot of posts about this, but just so it is out there very clearly, and very plainly.
1) I personally will not publicly endorse or donate to any candidates in (real) contested Austin elections this spring. Primarily, that's referring to the Mayor's Race and Place 1. Yes, I built Bill Spelman's website as he's a former professor of mine and Mike Martinez rocks, which is a given. I hope everyone can live with my decision as this spring I'm in a situation where I'm actually able to spend some time working on BOR site and content development and hope that I can entertain and inform our readers with coverage of the races. To that end, I expect to attend events, fundraisers, volunteer events, join facebook pages, and all sorts of things for all the candidates as there is often no better way to really cover a campaign than through "activist eyes" even if I'm not supporting them.
See?
2) I personally do hold a vote in a variety of club endorsement meetings which could include (assuming I'm eligible and my dues are current) the following. Yes, I will cast my votes there, but I'm the oddball that actually casts different votes in some organizations based upon who would be the most appropriate candidate for that club to endorse. (i.e. I'd be crazy not to vote for Chris Riley for the League of Bicycling Voters endorsement given that I and he are both carless and bike everywhere, though that shouldn't stop Perla or Rick from making their case. I can be swayed for strange reasons.)
- Austin Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus
- Capital Area Asian American Democrats
- Capital Area Progressive Democrats
- Capital City Young Democrats
- Central Austin Democrats
- ChangeAustin.org (I forgot to list)
- Democracy for Texas (doesn't technically endorse)
- Latinos for Texas
- League of Bicycling Voters
- Stonewall Democrats
- Texas Environmental Democrats
- Texans for Obama (has discussed doing endorsements)
- University Democrats (not really, but I'm always around)
3) Burnt Orange Report as an entity will endorse in the Austin municipal elections and that will probably be in early April. That endorsement is done by a weighted consensus of the staff relevant to election, which in this case, is as follows. My vote is convertible to 3 if needed to break a tie, or more simply, just means that I have final say in brokering what our consensus is or means.
2 Karl-Thomas Musselman
2 Matt Glazer
2 Phillip Martin
1 David Mauro
1 Katherine Haenschen
1 Michael Hurta
4) I am going to make advertising packages available to all candidates. I'll be in touch with the campaigns about this, but I want to make it easier for you to talk to voters here. The benefit of that is at the same time you're investing in something that hopefully is of value, not only in this election, but into the future. This is a premium readership and in this election, a lot of folks are undecided and the ones you sway here are more than likely voters that will sway dozens of votes beyond each one you win over.
OK, is everyone clear on this? It's worth it to all the campaigns to invite me to whatever they have going on, send me press releases, send me inside baseball, quotes, content, dirt, whatever you want that no one else is talking about. I want to actually cover your elections unlike some of the news outlets in this town and will try to to my best in getting thousands of Austinites clued in on why you are doing what you are doing. |
