On May 27, 2004, at 11:12 AM, Michael Hohmann wrote:
I believe that registered city voters actually
represent a minority portion of the city population that should have been
surveyed,
If a majority of city residents are not registered to vote, and if a public opinion survey relying exclusively on registered voters is invalid, city elections themselves are not representative and are thus invalid measures of popular will.
Absurd conclusions can be drawn from this principle. About 30,000 people live in the 13th Ward, but in the last city election only about 10,500 residents voted. Hence the results of the 13th Ward election in 2001 are invalid because the outcome represents only a minority of the residents of the ward. :)
For what it's worth, I believe about 60-65 percent of city residents are registered to vote -- the city elections office will have the actual numbers, but I'd guess about 220,000 of 380,000 residents are registered (which is a pretty healthy percentage, when you exclude children under 18 who aren't eligible).
IMHO the survey is accurate -- a large majority of Minneapolitans are non-smokers, and they don't want to run the gauntlet of second-hand smoke in order to enjoy the amenities of their own city.
Greg Abbott Linden Hills 13th Ward
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