Why did the DFL-endorsed candidates get such a large share of the vote in the 2004 primary? (DFL endorsed candidates got votes from over 60% of the voters, assuming a 20,000 turn out) Answer: A low turnout, a high concentration of party-line voters, and the power of the DFL get-out-the-vote machinery. There were 900 delegates at the DFL city convention. The DFL mailed sample ballots to thousands, phone-banked thousands. In the partisan races, only the Democrats had contested races (US house and one MN legislative seat). DFL-oriented unions also got out the union vote for DFL endorsed candidates plus Schapiro.
Another characteristic of this election was a bigger differences in voter turnout between usually vote rich precincts and vote poor precincts compared to 1999, 2001, 2002. There is also a fairly strong correlation between voter participation and Star-Tribune distribution. I assume that a fairly large share of the primary voters read the Sunday, Sept 5 Strib editorial that endorsed 9 school board candidates (in two tiers), and far fewer saw the Voters guide in the Strib on Thursday, Sept. 16. (was it reprinted on election day?) The Internet was also a factor. My web site average about 8,500 page views (maybe 1,500-2,000 viewers) for the month prior to the election, over 7,000 in July and August. During 2002 traffic at my web site peaked at about 3,500 page views per month, was around 2,000 in the offseason, and quickly jumped to about 3,000 when I got rid of popup ads last fall. Like in the 2000 presidential election, the DFL endorsed candidates ran strong everywhere in the city. Dayhoff's vote share was high where Bush's vote share was high (for Mpls). I obtained about 5 to 6% citywide, with an average of about 10-12% in areas where Nader's vote share was about 20% (about 1/2 of the city's precincts). -Doug Mann, King Field write-in Mann for school board www.educationright.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
