Travis County Election Day Returns

I am loving these numbers!!!!! (0.00 / 0)

I hope the numbers keep coming in this same way!!!!!!

Doing My Part For The Left,Left Of The Rainbow

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by: refinish69 @ Sat May 13, 2006 at 19:51:50 PM CDT

Generally good, but... (0.00 / 0)

DeWayne deserved a better result.

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by: Monk of Miletus @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 00:09:50 AM CDT

well (1.00 / 2)

He about tied Jennifer Gale for votes I think.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 00:26:10 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

DeWayne Deserved much better... (0.00 / 0)

but its tough to run against TV, mail and newspapers when you have none of the above.  Everyone agrees that DeWayne is a true progressive and that he has good ideas.  Most people I talked to said they wish he wasn't in the same race as Sheryl and they'd support him next time. I just hope he runs for something again down the road and that we give him a real chance. It was hard seeing him lose so bad I'm happy to report that his spirits remained high the entire night, and he talked only about his plan to continue making Austin a better place to live.

That being said, congratulations to Sheryl Cole, her campaign manager Kenny Thompson and everyone involved in that campaign. 

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by: DukeBlueD @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 02:12:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Last Night (0.00 / 0)

DeWayne was already looking towards the future. I expect to see DeWayne run again -- and win -- in the next three years.

Congratulations to the entire Cole campaign and Kenny Thompson; they ran a good race and I think Sheryl will be a good councilmember.

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by: David Mauro @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 16:54:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

good for him (1.00 / 2)

But I can't exactly argue that anyone particularly will remember him for his efforts this race. When you are treading in Jennifer Gale and Touvell/Kalmbacher territory...

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 20:24:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

if only (3.00 / 1)

DeWayne would have sold out his progressive ideals he might have been able to appeal more to the conservative voters that Darrell Pierce took home.

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by: David Mauro @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 21:33:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

downrating (1.00 / 1)

Ok, stating fact apparently has already ticked one poster off so here is some more.

Jennifer Gale: 3,560
DeWayne Lofton: 3,932

Hell, Kedron Jerome Touvell got more votes than Lofton. I'm sorry, but no one knows who he was before yesterday, and beyond the promotion on this board, I don't think anyone really is remembering it too much now either.

DeWayne doesn't need to sell out his progressive values. But making some phone calls, raising some money, sending any mail, any tv, or making a single coherent arguement as to why he would be a more competant councilperson than Pierce or Cole would most certainly be a start.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 22:30:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just not true (0.00 / 0)

DeWayne received more club endorsements than Darrell Pierce.

DeWayne had the support of a lot of Democratic leaders, including Glen Maxey.

DeWayne had a clear and concise message of what his vision for Austin was ... you were on the email list, right?

What is true though is that the money just wasnt there. Though Hazel Obey's unexpected death hurt him a lot, DeWayne still needed to raise at least $20k to make the runoff

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by: David Mauro @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 22:45:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Please take this in a good way (0.00 / 0)

I heard DeWayne talk at several club meeting and 2 endorsement meetings.  Sheryl had more passion and more credentials.  He made a good showing for a first time. 

Doing My Part For The Left,Left Of The Rainbow

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by: refinish69 @ Mon May 15, 2006 at 05:05:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

if you must (1.00 / 1)

My comparison in votes was not to Pierce, it was to the rest of the under 10% crowd.

Money and message speak louder than a couple of club endorsements, which we know in Austin can often be decided by a couple votes. I've seen Glen invovled in campaigns before, this was not one of them.

I was on the email list because it was included in an email list of thousands of people who never signed up for the campaign which was completly ineffective and a poor excuse for a direct mail program... plus, being able to give that message in person in club meetings would be helpful.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Mon May 15, 2006 at 13:31:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Props 1 and 2 (0.00 / 0)

I'm as shocked by the margins as everyone.  About 85% of the items in 1 and 2 are good stuff.  The votes against 1 and 2 weren't votes against open government or clean water.  They were votes against specific problems with 1 and 2.

We are part of a broad consensus that puts environmental protection first and foremost.  I hope the council moves forward with ordinances to expand online accessibility to city documents and clarifies policies on grandfathering and the provision of incentives to companies that build on the aquifer.

If we work together and build some consensus, we can build on the dialouge we had over 1 and 2 and more our city forward.

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by: Rick Cofer @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 00:33:35 AM CDT

Tilman Fertitta (0.00 / 0)

Get to know that name, Austin. He'll be the guy replacing the real trees with animated ones at Rainforest Cafe.

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by: sandra1113 @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 01:44:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I agree (0.00 / 0)

Prop 1 & 2 were poorly written and that is why they were defeated so soundly.

Doing My Part For The Left,Left Of The Rainbow

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by: refinish69 @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 06:35:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I agree (0.00 / 0)

in principle to what you are saying but, unfortunately, the dialogue on both the pro-props and anti-props side too often opted to tell lies and half truths about the other side than electing to have a honest and open debate.

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by: David Mauro @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 16:58:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

oh I know (0.00 / 0)

I was there for the debacle that was the debate on it at DFT. Both sides acted like spoiled brats especially some of their supporters in the audience.

Doing My Part For The Left,Left Of The Rainbow

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by: refinish69 @ Sun May 14, 2006 at 18:37:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I feel very bitter (0.00 / 0)

I'm sure that some people had good reasons for voting against these Props, but I feel very bitter about the way the opposition campaign was conducted. ...and I say this as a voter trying to separate the wheat from the chaff - not as a partisan. Two weeks ago, I had decided to vote against the propositions, but I voted for both of them in the end.

I read the report by Livable City to get an unbiased analysis. I certainly couldn't get one from the newpapers. The screeds, name calling, and unethical behavior by the Chronicle were the worst. Nothing they do surprises me.

I was at the same DFT debate and came away with the opposite impression
At the DFT debate, those opposing the propositions behaved very badly - emabarrassingly so. One man in the audience (opposed to the props) demanded the right to make a statement, rather than ask a question and tried to take to microphone away from the speakers. Kathy Mitchell had to debate two people, her assigned opponent and Lee Leffingwell. After the debate on Prop 1 was closed, Leffingwell chose to give another closing statement when he was supposed to be debating Prop 2.

Voters and citizens deserve better.

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by: coolclearwater @ Mon May 15, 2006 at 01:00:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I was there (0.00 / 0)

and heard someone in favor of the props call Lee L. a lair instead of agreeing to disagree.  There was heated emotions on both sides.  I do believe the props could have been written better and that prop 1 tried to cover way too much territory.  I think the cost for prop 1 killed it more than anything. the low price was 2 million and the high was 23 so we all know it would have been somewhere between the two.  With a city budget that is looking for ways to fund parks, libaries and other services, it is hard to talk people into shaving over 2 million off the top. 

Doing My Part For The Left,Left Of The Rainbow

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by: refinish69 @ Mon May 15, 2006 at 05:02:51 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I wasn't shocked. (3.00 / 1)

The results of Props 1 & 2 didn't surprise me at all.  I almost always vote for the environmental candidates and propositions in city elections.  But these two propositions were simply terribly written and their advocates came across like Islamic fundamentalists. 

Lots of environmentalists I knew were voting against the props because they support good government, and neither of these propositions would have helped that.  The fact that many mainstream environmentalists were against the propositions led me to believe weeks ago that these propositions didn't have a chance.

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by: Jobu @ Mon May 15, 2006 at 00:14:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Oh, really (0.00 / 0)

"...their advocates came across like Islamic fundamentalists." This is absurd and deeply offensive. Give examples.

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by: coolclearwater @ Mon May 15, 2006 at 19:04:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"Gentleman's Agreement" is far outdated (0.00 / 0)

I know I'm a bit late at chiming in about the City Council results, but after reading through some of the comments including "too bad he had to run against Cheryl" it really makes me ask the question WHY? Why did DeWayne have to run against Cheryl? I constantly, for the life of me, can not accept that people think that others wouldn't vote for DeWayne or Cheryl or Mike Martinez if they were running for any other City Council seat! I realize that our affirmative action idea of creating seats for minorities guarantees diversity on the City Council, which is a good thing, but what would be the harm of DeWayne running for a different seat next year?? I truly think it's time to challenge the status quo that relegates black and brown people to a select two seats in our City government! Isn't that what leadership is all about?  This is about representing our city, which isn't by any means 5/7 White.

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by: martib @ Thu May 18, 2006 at 17:01:23 PM CDT