Thierry (AKA LiberalNC of Left on 49 fame) actually did something on my “to-do” list. Before I started talking about the upcoming municipal elections, I wanted to post the candidates’ political registration information. But, Thierry beat me to it AND upped the ante by making a Google Maps Mashup
As you know, municipal elections are “non-partisan” which is code in North Carolina for “Democrats are afraid to lose to Republicans who vote straight-party”. So, it’s kinda funny how a Democrat made this map. He did a great job, though and the map is very informative.
Click on the image or click here to see the map.
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5 responses so far ↓
1 LiberalNC // Aug 8, 2007 at 12:26 am
“As you know, municipal elections are “non-partisan” which is code in North Carolina for “Democrats are afraid to lose to Republicans who vote straight-party”.”
If you look at the map closely you will see that there are twice as many “Unaffiliated” candidates that are actually Republicans than there are Unaffiliated candidates that are actually Democrats. So who’s really hiding their true nature?
Thanks for the kudos.
2 Justin Thibault // Aug 9, 2007 at 7:01 am
Well, I think the way that you mentioned that someone “leans Republican” was good and the criteria was sound. However, I think that always bifurcating the entire electorate into two camps is a little crude.
All too often, we split people into Democrats and Republicans, Liberal and Conservative, Us vs. Them, etc; and we don’t appreciate some of the subtle differences that can be huge in the way that someone makes decisions as an elected official.
I think that the current system of making the Party affiliations secret is bad. The idea that it forces the electorate to consider the individual is hogwash. I’d rather have an irascible curmudgeon in office that follows a philospohy (preferable one I align with) and considers the facts than an ambitious gadfly looking to move up the next rung.
3 Bob Carruth // Aug 9, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Actually, read (or listen, as I am doing) to The Earth is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. According to his assertion, the new economy and globalization could turn the whole two party system on its head -
Also, how did you get the placemarkers to change colors? I can only do blue when I try to do it.
4 LiberalNC // Aug 10, 2007 at 1:17 am
It’s those evil liberals at Google forcing republican politicians to only use blue.
Seriously though, once you placed a “marker” on the map, you just click on it again, then click edit and then click on the marker symbol on the top right corner of the little window that pops up. Another window will open up with a whole list of symbols and colored markers you can replace your original marker with. If this doesn’t make sense I can show you at the next Commissioners meeting
5 Justin Thibault // Aug 14, 2007 at 12:06 am
That should be required reading for all elected officials by exposing the futility of isolationism.
It would rob votes from John Edwards and Tom Tancredo at the same time.
I thought party bifrication would just take some PACs with the name “Taxpayer” in them.