Local Election Run-Offs

Well, you do have a voice... you have to run an Independent candidate. It's the fault of the IND's if they don't run a candidate. I wish *every* party would start running candidates with confidence that come Nov, not everyone will side with their own party. You've just got to go out there and put your neck on the line.

Primaries are nothing more than picking a club president to represent the rest of the club. It's unfortunate that sometimes the person chosen doesn't really reflect the majority of that club, but unless you're a member of the club, you don't get a say.

Of course, I don't think a Sheriff's race should be a partisan race, but even if it isn't it will still be a cluster**** at the end because of the number of people running.

Primaries are really nothing more than a group getting together to pick their representative in an attempt to cut down the number of candidates so we don't end up in a plurality situation. I wonder when we even started using state elections to conduct primaries because I'm willing to bet that in history, they were chosen at a party meeting, like an endorsement.

There's a hitch, Independents aren't one size fits all, so the ability to choose a candidate listed as an Independent pretty much has a slim to none chance. It's easy to say, coming from an established party, be it Democrat, Republican or even Libertarian. Plus, it still causes the cluster**** that you are talking about because the more parties you add, you end up with somewhat of the same issue as just having a non-partisan race. Actually, it can be worse.

For example, I watched the prime minister race for Curacao, a few years ago. There were a number of parties (from what I remember there were 6) with candidates running for office. I happened to be friends with the daughter of the then prime minister, Miguel Pourier, who was head of the party known as PAR. Plus, one of my other friends' fathers was running against him. It was the perfect example of insanity.

All I can say is that on a small/local level, multi-party platforms trying to do anything is a joke. And, worse than just having a non-partisan race, you end up with the need for each candidate representing their party to tow the party line to the extent you lose the identity of who the candidate really is. That's NOT what we need in local elections.

The reason I use Curacao as an example is because it is still a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, although under the Netherlands Antilles and so the prime minister election is basically a very local one.... until they are able to establish an autonomous status under The Netherlands, like Aruba.

Again, partisan politics work more on a state and national level.

I don't understand why "Parties" are picking county Sheriff candidates...

Can anyone tell me the difference in a Republican Sheriff and a Democratic Sheriff?

I don't understand why "Parties" are picking county Sheriff candidates...

Can anyone tell me the difference in a Republican Sheriff and a Democratic Sheriff?

Just the way it works, hon. I'm not for parties on the local level, either, as *most* Republicans who have lived in Walton County for more than 15 - 20 years were Democrats at one point. According to my father's stern orders, I registered as a Democrat when I was 18 "so I could vote in local races." While I've always been conservative and all those things typically associated with Republicans, I didn't switch parties until 2000, when it was time to vote for my boss and she ran on the Republican ticket.

I don't understand why "Parties" are picking county Sheriff candidates...

Can anyone tell me the difference in a Republican Sheriff and a Democratic Sheriff?

Oh that's easy. One has to run spend a lot of time, money, mudslinging, and aggravation to run against against 5 or 6 others to get on the ballot in November, the other just signs up and is on the ballot.;-)

Oh that's easy. One has to run spend a lot of time, money, mudslinging, and aggravation to run against against 5 or 6 others to get on the ballot in November, the other just signs up and is on the ballot.;-)

You are right on and it is a firm indication that the system is unfair and broken.

I respectfully agree with about 98% of your views--until now. You say that Rebublicans "as a majority" picked the best candidate to run in November. That's what you did 4 years ago and it didn't honestly reflect the wishes of the voters in respect to the Sheriff's race. "Back in the Day", in an overcrowded race such as this, voters threw out the "spoilers" in the primary and got down to a legitimate choice in November. I think what you intended to referrence was a "plurality". Working under the current plurality system, a race with 10 Republicans and no Democrats could conceivably be won by a candidate with 11% of the vote. If this example reflects the "true will" of the people, I'll eat your hat raw. The only way the current system is legitimate, is if it works for you !

But that is the way the system works. I have asked for years if people wish to get together, let us charter this county, and put in a system that we like instead of a system that the State has installed that we all agree is probably not the best thing for our little community. So far, no takers. After this election, everything will go quiet for two years, and then the same arguments will start all over again about how everyone is dissatisfied and how it needs to change. The system is a political system. Yet no one wants anything to do with politics.

Do we have to be a charter county to have nonpartisan elections or have the County Commission candidates run only in their district? I thought that several years ago we voted on the Commissioners running countywide.

But that is the way the system works. I have asked for years if people wish to get together, let us charter this county, and put in a system that we like instead of a system that the State has installed that we all agree is probably not the best thing for our little community. So far, no takers. After this election, everything will go quiet for two years, and then the same arguments will start all over again about how everyone is dissatisfied and how it needs to change. The system is a political system. Yet no one wants anything to do with politics.

I am not that familar with Florida law but it would seem to me that there is another method available to us other than the charter county route which seems cumbersome at best. That is to petition the state through our elected representatives to change the system which you say they have installed. Is this a possibility? This st ate is a disaster when it comes to politics and how it conducts them.

wrobert is the expert on this, but I THINK it is Florida law as to which races are partisan and which are not. It is my understanding that the only way to change that, for us, is to become a charter county.

I do remember that we selected BCC countywide, then we went to single-district. Then everyone screamed that it was unfair because we (District 5) didn't have a hand in selecting the other board members too, because one commissioner can't do anything by himself/herself. So we went back to countywide. I do not remember whether we voted on that or not; I'm sure we did.

charter government

I think AndyA is right about charter government. In the past that was looked into in Walton County & my authority here tells me he does not remember the details, but it turned out not to be such a great idea. It would be a good idea to check with counties that have done that before taking a leap. I want to think Nassau County is one that did & regretted it, I could be wrong on which county it is.

As far as having equal representation with the Commission I think the districts are drawn according to population, each Commissioner is supposed to have close to the same number of constituents.

Do we have to be a charter county to have nonpartisan elections or have the County Commission candidates run only in their district? I thought that several years ago we voted on the Commissioners running countywide.

Charter for the non-partisan thing, or get it changed at the legislative level in Tallahassee.

We can do single member districts, but remember, that is a county wide election, and since the people in the south tend to stay home........

I think AndyA is right about charter government. In the past that was looked into in Walton County & my authority here tells me he does not remember the details, but it turned out not to be such a great idea. It would be a good idea to check with counties that have done that before taking a leap. I want to think Nassau County is one that did & regretted it, I could be wrong on which county it is.

As far as having equal representation with the Commission I think the districts are drawn according to population, each Commissioner is supposed to have close to the same number of constituents.

If Charter government was looked at here it was prior to 1980 or my memory is totally shot. I do not recall us ever voting for or against a charter in this county.

Charter for the non-partisan thing, or get it changed at the legislative level in Tallahassee.

We can do single member districts, but remember, that is a county wide election, and since the people in the south tend to stay home........

Have "the people from the south" ever been really studied to see who really lives here and are voting? I also have a feeling that many people that live south of the bay moved here later in life from bigger metro areas (ie retired) and are all about kicking back and no worries.....comparing us to the north is pointless in every way since there is a different demographic going on. I am also wondering how many people move here from bigger metro areas and get the giggles during our local elections-

If Charter government was looked at here it was prior to 1980 or my memory is totally shot. I do not recall us ever voting for or against a charter in this county.

I believe incorporation was brought up back when Col. Fleet was our very first Sowal commissioner....I don't think a charter was mentioned. Is there a difference between a charter and incorporation?

Have "the people from the south" ever been really studied to see who really lives here and are voting? I also have a feeling that many people that live south of the bay moved here later in life from bigger metro areas (ie retired) and are all about kicking back and no worries.....comparing us to the north is pointless in every way since there is a different demographic going on. I am also wondering how many people move here from bigger metro areas and get the giggles during our local elections-

You bring up a point that may really be the underlying problem. A manager of a large community made the comment that he was going to be very busy because all of his residents were coming in prior to last Tuesday to vote. With TS Fay hitting the area, it appears that many passed on voting and just did not show up. From what I remember working absentee ballots two years ago, I am starting to come to the conclusion that the amount of dual registrations, where one spouse uses this area as a homestead and the other uses a house north of here, is probably much more prevalent that anyone realizes. When you think about it, the State of Florida does provide quite a large monetary incentive for people to do this with "Save Our Homes". And we see quite a bit of this actually happening locally with people who have more than one home within the county. So why is it so far-fetched that there may not be as many real south Walton residents as census figures indicate. Looking at the size of the BCC districts and you would think that the BCC 5 commissioner would be way more busier than the others based on population numbers. If those people really lived here and had the normal day to day problems that everyone else seems to have.

But that would require some serious work on behalf of county officials to find these individuals and to get them classified correctly. I just do not see that happening anytime soon.

Unbelievable amount of folks who have homesteaded their vacation property to take advantage of the property tax reduction. The candidates that I chose had the advantage of the people I know from out of town asking me who to vote for!!

You bring up a point that may really be the underlying problem. A manager of a large community made the comment that he was going to be very busy because all of his residents were coming in prior to last Tuesday to vote. With TS Fay hitting the area, it appears that many passed on voting and just did not show up. From what I remember working absentee ballots two years ago, I am starting to come to the conclusion that the amount of dual registrations, where one spouse uses this area as a homestead and the other uses a house north of here, is probably much more prevalent that anyone realizes. When you think about it, the State of Florida does provide quite a large monetary incentive for people to do this with "Save Our Homes". And we see quite a bit of this actually happening locally with people who have more than one home within the county. So why is it so far-fetched that there may not be as many real south Walton residents as census figures indicate. Looking at the size of the BCC districts and you would think that the BCC 5 commissioner would be way more busier than the others based on population numbers. If those people really lived here and had the normal day to day problems that everyone else seems to have.

But that would require some serious work on behalf of county officials to find these individuals and to get them classified correctly. I just do not see that happening anytime soon.

When I hear "the south did not turn out to vote", the inflated numbers of actual residents is what immediately comes to mind. I just get so tired of this particular comment.:roll:

Unbelievable amount of folks who have homesteaded their vacation property to take advantage of the property tax reduction. The candidates that I chose had the advantage of the people I know from out of town asking me who to vote for!!

Oh. Lord...another loophole I think I misssed! Would it be legal for me to claim my sowal property as my homestead, while Mr. K claimes Dallas as his? Or do people claim homestead as a couple? I am guessing people that own dual properties in different states can make a choice and do so depending on the tax and insurance implications. One more...to homestead, is on of the requirements living in said home a certain amount of time?

People amaze me at how they beat the system. Sorry I hijacked.

Husband and wife do not have to claim the same household...only according to the IRS....I think.

Husband and wife do not have to claim the same household...only according to the IRS....I think.

...this could work in my favor! 6 months a year, right?

We can do single member districts, but remember, that is a county wide election, and since the people in the south tend to stay home........

This is true, but it would still be their choice not that of the voters of the north, likewise the districts south of the bay would not decide for those of us in the north county. We all have different needs. Does anyone know how the turnout is from the south end for the General Election?

If Charter government was looked at here it was prior to 1980 or my memory is totally shot. I do not recall us ever voting for or against a charter in this county.
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Charter government was looked into a couple of times in the late 90's. Under Charter government the Commissioners appoint all of the local officials except the sheriff. They appoint Tax Collector, Clerk of Courts, Property Appraiser. There are a lot of strings attached.

Got ya. We are back to the that premise. I do not want to be a member of your club but I want to help choose your candidate.

Right on, right on!!

I understand that. I don't understand why independents aren't allowed to vote for who they want on the ballot in Nov.
It just doesn't make sense to me.

So basically, we have no voice unless we're registered as a Republican or a Democrat? That' s the way it works?

sunspotbaby,

Sure you do. Where was your candidate(s) (Independent) running for office?

sunspotbaby,

Sure you do. Where was your candidate(s) (Independent) running for office?

:roll:

Husband and wife do not have to claim the same household...only according to the IRS....I think.

Household and homestead are different.

LEGALLY you are only supposed to have one property, the one you live in, under homestead exemption (i. e. Save Our Homes). But for obvious reasons, many people with more than one home - whether the main home be in North Walton or another state altogether - choose to put their homestead exemption on the home in SoWal. That isn't legal, but it happens.

Of course, if they rent out the home in SoWal, and the property appraiser's office finds out, bye-bye homestead...