Mayor Leads in Early New Orleans Returns

[Judi Lynn]

Mayor Leads in Early New Orleans Returns
By MICHELLE ROBERTS, Associated Press Writer

Saturday, April 22, 2006
(04-22) 19:05 PDT New Orleans (AP) --

Mayor Ray Nagin and a pair of challengers emerged from a crowded field in early returns from Saturday's first municipal election since Hurricane Katrina, a tricky experiment of modern-day democracy that gave scattered evacuees a say in this battered city's future.

With 4 percent of precincts reporting, Nagin led with 32 percent of the vote, followed by Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu with 30 percent and businessman Ron Forman with 21 percent. Nineteen others trailed far behind.

Unless one candidate gets 50 percent of the vote — a prospect that even Nagin considered to be unlikely — the top two vote-getters will compete in a May 20 runoff.
(snip/)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/04/22/politics/p190548D59.DTL

[Anita Garcia]

1. Nagin 39% Landrieu 28% New Orleans election - runoff

415 out of 442 precincts reporting.
<http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=04220636>

[Olney Blue]

2. This is going to be a very interesting runoff....

[Anita Garcia]

4. Yes, looking forward to seeing how many people vote next

[Olney Blue]

6. I know- untold sacrifices were likely made just to vote.

[SoCalDem]

8. Especially with gas appoaching $4 a gallon by then

It takes a lot of gas to fill a bus..and how many people will be able to afford to make that trip twice?

Realistically, the elections should have been postponed indefinitely, with the people in charge remaing in charge until they at least knew who would be able to return. If there's a change of leadership now, whoever takes over will only waste more money trying to study the hell out of everything so they make sure to blame everything on the "previous" administration.

What NewOrleans should have done was to retain all the ablebodied men and women who could stay, and put them to work at $20 an hour.. They could have made money to send to their families who were evactuated, and you know they would have worked hard to clean up their own place.. It was stupid beyond belief to send all these peopleaway so they would have to scramble to make ends meet in a strange place, and know that they left their homes behind for "someone else" to get paid to do the work..

[Anita Garcia]

10. And now we do it all again for runoff

Ridiculous!
I'm still pissed at some Louisiana Democrats who argued that the election should take place because it would benefit Democrat(s) running for office.
Their opinion regarding disenfranchisement was/is suspect.
They sacrificed voters' rights for political gain.
And then they argue the political gain would benefit those same voters they sacrificed.
Infuriating!

[cal04]

3. Nagin, Landrieu in New Orleans Runoff

Mayor Ray Nagin and Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu will compete in a runoff next month following Saturday's mayoral election, a tricky experiment of modern-day democracy that gave voters scattered by Hurricane Katrina a say in this city's future.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060423/ap_on_el_st_lo/new_orleans_mayor

this was about 20 min ago

[Anita Garcia]

5. Thanks!

[Roy]

7. This Admin opened polling places

Around the world for Iraqi elections, but it took resources and actions by non-profits to get NOLA voters to the polls.
:shrug:

[DemExpat]

9. Makes no sense to me...

:grr:

DemEx

[Anita Garcia]

11. More likely to vote if it easy

Why are polling places normally located near your residence?
Is it because the government is being nice or is it because we recognize that voters are more likely to vote if it is easy?

Is the government doing us a favor or are we, the people, ensuring participation in the political process?

"They" argue that to vote is a privilege and the people should sacrifice to get to the polls.
"We" argue that to vote is a right and the government should ensure that we can get to the polls.
"They" argued that the voters were no longer citizens.
"We" argued that they were displaced, not relocated.

This time, "they" co-opted the argument. Hopefully next time, we will be prepared and not give "them" the opportunity.