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Topic: Voting

Odom: ‘The court has ruled. Goins, Hargett do your job!’

November 6, 2009 | Print This Post

 
House Democratic Leader Gary Odom

House Democratic Leader Gary Odom

Nashville – House Democratic Leader Gary Odom Thursday renewed his call for fair elections in Tennessee by calling on the secretary of state to “do his job” after a state court issued a ruling confirming that state law requires the implementation of paper ballot machines for the 2010 elections to comply with the Voter Confidence Act of 2008.

Odom cited the following ruling from Chancellor Russell Perkins in Davidson County Chancery Court:

“The court finds that the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act does not require the voting system to be implemented by the state of Tennessee to meet 2005 standards,” wrote Perkins.

“The court determines that the state is obligated to take prompt, effective steps to meet the statutory deadline using compliant voting systems.” «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

 

Time to wake up and smell the coffee

By Tim Cash | October 29, 2009 | Print This Post

 

Tim Cash

Tim Cash

Honestly I have tried hard to ignore the media on both sides and kept my opinions to myself. Those that know me know that this is not something I do very easily.

For the record I am conservative in my thinking but try hard to keep an open mind and give all an opportunity to voice their opinions. Many of my friends have differing views than mine when it comes to politics, but very few who disagree that much of what our Country was founded on is disintegrating before our very eyes. In the end, whether of liberal beliefs or conservative – we are ALL AMERICANS.

This did not just start yesterday, there has been an eroding of America for many years now. Those of you who are 30 or older need only look back to your years as a child, when we all said the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. Many of our children have never pledged allegiance to our Flag:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Commentary | 1 Comment »

 

Prevent Election Fiascoes in Tennessee – Enact Paper Ballot Law Now

August 11, 2009 | Print This Post

 

A perfect storm is brewing for Tennessee voters for the 2010 election.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Tennessee is set up for an election debacle, thanks to the states’ reliance on paperless electronic voting. Currently 93 out of 95 counties in Tennessee use these machines.

Unless the Secretary of State Hargett takes swift and certain prompt action, thousands of votes will be at risk in the 2010 election. Computer scientists agree that any electronic voting machine can fail without warning. SOS Hargett should pay attention to the lessons learned by other states.

North Carolina found out the hard way that paperless voting machines can lose thousands of votes. In the November 2004 Presidential Election, 4,400 votes were permanently lost by “state of the art” computerized voting machines. The AP described that election as “A Florida-style nightmare …with thousands of votes missing and the outcome of two statewide races still up in the air.” On top of that, the outcome of one statewide election contest was too close to call. There would have been a $3 million dollar “do-over” election if one of the candidates hadn’t voluntarily withdrawn. (See North Carolina Ballot Blues) «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | 1 Comment »

 

Draughons Junior College hosts second career fair

By Bill Larson | June 7, 2009 | Print This Post

 

draughonsDraughons Junior College in Clarksville hosted their annual career fair on June 5th. The event brings local agencies and employers together with hundreds of  people who are actively seeking employment.

Some like Barbara Lucas had been looking for work (in the legal field) for over 6 months. She is currently considering returning to school. Jonathan Ligon said he was laid off 5 months ago, since then he has been unsuccessfully looking for work as a welder.  Beverly Cossingham unemployed for five months, is looking for an administrative or clerical positions. However, Katie Nolan probably summed it up best.  “I am looking for anything at this point, anything”, she said.

Katie Nolen discussing job opportunities with a Wendy Harrison from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Career Center

Katie Nolen discussing job opportunities with a Wendy Harrison from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Career Center

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Business | No Comments

 

The GOP Review

April 20, 2009 | Print This Post

 

Election Laws, economic development and the budget are among wide variety of issues debated on Capitol Hill this week

gop(NASHVILLE, TN), April 16, 2009 – Election laws, economic development, the budget, telecommunications, and violent crime were among a wide variety of issues headlining debate on Capitol Hill this week. However, State Senators also took time on Monday to remember the victims of last week’s tornadoes in Rutherford, Sumner, and Benton Counties and commended emergency personnel for their handling of the disaster.

The worst damage was in Rutherford County where a deadly EF-4 tornado hit Murfreesboro packing winds of 166 mph to 200 mph, killing a mother and her baby. The tornado, which was a half-mile wide and ran a 28-mile path, set a record for the longest EF-4 tornado in history. Seven people were critically injured and about 818 homes were damaged, with 111 of those homes completely destroyed. The cost to businesses and residents has preliminarily been estimated at $40.2 million.

A Murfreesboro Gas station suffered significant damage (Chris Jackson)

A Murfreesboro Gas station suffered significant damage (Chris Jackson)

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

 

Senator Kurita launches Write-in campaign at new Madison Street headquarters

By Beth Robinson | October 5, 2008 | Print This Post

 
A large crowd of enthusiastic supporters gathered on October 2 for the grand opening of the new headquarters for Senator Kurita’s campaign to fight for her seat in Tennessee’s 22nd district.  Despite Kurita’s winning the primary, the Democratic Party reversed the voters decision and awarded the victory to her opponent, Atty. Tim Barnes.
Voters picked up yard signs and bumper stickers at new Write-in Kurita Montgomery County Headquarters

Voters picked up yard signs and bumper stickers at new Write-in Kurita Montgomery County Headquarters

This unprecedented decision prompted Kurita to support her constituents by beginning a write-in campaign.  Are her supporters willing to go to the extra effort of typing in her name, K-U-R-I-T-A, on the voting machines in November? As with Senator Obama, the Democratic Presidential candidate, Senator Kurita welcomes votes from all Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who feel she will be the best candidate for the job. Her campaign slogan is “In America, we don’t steal elections.” «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News, Politics | No Comments

 

The flip side of the 9/13 Kurita/Barnes Executive Committee hearing

September 17, 2008 | Print This Post

 

Atty. Tim Barnes

David J. Luciano, author of this article,  is an APSU political science student who testified at the Kurita/Barnes September 13 Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee Hearing and was present for the entire process. Luciano is the former president of the APSU Democrats. This is his version of the hearing events as they occurred and is a response to the article published today (9.17.08) on Clarkville Online by author Debbie Boen.

As someone who witnessed the entirety of the Democratic Party’s Executive Committee’s hearing of Tim Barnes’s challenge of the 22nd district senatorial election, I must respond to Debbie Boen’s misrepresentations of the facts of this event.

Although she states that Joe Schiller “told the officials in the room that ‘they had been instructed to vote based on the evidence and facts, not on retribution and revenge,’” and was then asked to leave the room, this was not in fact what happened.  The rules of the meeting stipulated that while spectators and the media were welcome to attend the event, only committee members were allowed to speak.  Schiller did not make this statement; a committee member made a similar statement and Schiller then yelled loudly, “here, here!”.   When executive committee members reminded him that he was not allowed to speak as a non-committee member, he continued to get increasingly louder, yelling, “But I’m a voter!”  Again, he was asked to stop, and refusing, was escorted from the room. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, News, Opinion, Politics | 4 Comments

 

Voter Empowerment training at MCDP

September 1, 2008 | Print This Post

 

The Center for Community Change a national nonprofit organization that provides assistance to communities who have experienced low voter turnout during elections, will be here in Clarksville on Tuesday, September 2, at the Montgomery County Democratic Party Headquarters building, 534 Madison Street, Clarksville (on the corner of University and Madison streets), starting at 6:00 p.m.

The CCC will be looking for individuals who are Democrats and willing to run voter empowerment campaigns in an effort to bring up the number of registered voters, and most importantly, get them to the polls on election day.

These positions are paid positions, so only serious people should apply. Please come and hear about this organization and see if this mission is for you.

Here is the link to the organization and about the many community based things they are involved in.

http://www.communitychange.org/

Sections: Events, News, Politics | No Comments

 

Candy Johnson launches city council bid

August 27, 2008 | Print This Post

 

Candy Johnson meets a new supporter at the recent African American Festival

Candy Johnson, City Council Candidate for Ward 5, will launch her campaign kick-off August 28 at 6 p.m. at  First Federal Savings Bank on 1800 Ft. Campbell Boulevard.

Johnson announced her candidacy for city council two months ago and during that time frame personally canvassed over 100 homes in Ward 5. She intends to bring her qualifications for the councilor post to the remaining 1900 homes in her jurisdiction.  In discussing her decision to run for public office, Johnson said: “I want to work on  getting the local government back into the hands of the people and out of the hands of big developers. With a little bit of empowerment, determination and a lot of prayer we can make this a reality.”

She encourages voters and residents of the community to “Come out and meet others in our community that are tired of these ineffective government practices and hidden agendas, and share your ideas about helping to make Clarksville an enjoyable place for all, not just the people making the decisions.”

Sections: Events, News, Politics | 1 Comment »

 

Voter Apathy: Is it possible in November??

By Turner McCullough Jr. | August 25, 2008 | Print This Post

 

The August 7th Primary and State Election showed the power of the individual voter. With less than twelve percent of registered voters participating, the course of representative government was set for the next four years. By not voting, that other 88 percent of voters surrendered their rights and actually allowed a small minority to determine their lives. Hope they like the outcome these voters have and will continue to impact upon them.

11.86. Look at that number again. Eleven-point eighty-six. Out of one hundred percent, it is only slightly more than ten percent. And yet it is just a hair less than a full twelve percent. Not even twelve percent of Montgomery County’s registered voters participated in the August 7th ballot! Not even twelve percent, people! Even with the convenience of early voting, and mail-in balloting for the elderly and infirm, not even one-quarter of eligible voters exercised their freedom and their responsibility to determine the course of their elected government.

Just what can explain this low voter interest in elections? The November ballot will determine the composition of the City Council for the next two years of Mayor Johnny Piper’s term and beyond. The course of redevelopment, planned urban growth (or the lack thereof), recreation amenities and city services, greenspace provisions, police and fire department personnel hiring, revitalization of neglected or rundown neighborhoods, installing red-light traffic cameras, improving our quality of life, all are issues likely to come before local government. The electorate must find the will to engage itself at levels above a repulsive twelve percent. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, News, Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

 
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