Published: November 06, 2009 09:35 am      

The people have spoken, or at least a minority of them

A drastic change occurred in Clinton on Tuesday. However, judging by the amount of votes tallied in the City Council elections, the shakeup at City Hall went unnoticed by most of the citizens directly affected by the voters’ actions.

Only 2,605 out of a possible 17,895 registered voters marked ballots Tuesday, resulting in a mere 14.56 percent turnout. I didn’t expect much, but I pictured better attendance at the polls.

Even in a year without any national election of significance, like picking the president or contested congressional races, I hoped the amount of candidates would spur better voting numbers. We had five candidates vying for spots as At-Large council members, and two ward races that featured one challenger in each contest.

And it’s not like people won’t feel the affects of the new council. Almost every action deals with each taxpayer in the city. In larger elections, such as the presidential, people often complain about their vote not being a factor in the final decision.

In elections such as these, every vote is valued. The only reason to not vote for an elected body that has so much affect on everyone’s lives, must deal with apathy or a feeling of disconnect with all candidates.

Regardless of the turnout, though, the election signaled a new guard in Clinton. Three, possibly four (depending on a run-off vote), will man City Hall chambers. It looks like the citizens who participated were disgruntled with the progress made by the former council.

I would be a little apprehensive to be a new council member, though. It seems like voters were motivated on changing the council, simply on the basis of change. That battle cry seems to have trickled down locally from the national level. We voted on change last November, but what has changed? We’re still at war, the White House still hates the media and we continue to provide most of our paycheck to the federal government.

What do voters want? I don’t know. The four incumbents registered different votes on several issues, but it appears voting patterns had little to do with this election. Just because something is different, does not necessarily mean it’s better. On the other hand, though, sometimes new faces help invigorate the situation.

I do know that progress has been made, through a vast undertaking with road repair and attempting to incentivize the city’s resources, through the railport and the marina.

With a new council, the transition for the new members to become acquainted with their new roles could take awhile. These new members will be welcomed with plenty of important projects and new missions to improve the city of Clinton’s image. Hopefully, they’re ready, and maybe the new blood will alter the people’s perception of the council, something that 2,605 citizens went out to change Tuesday.



Scott Levine is the Associate Editor at the Clinton Herald. He can be reached at scottlevine@clintonherald.com.