Franklin Matters: Franklin Voter Turnout 2003

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Franklin Voter Turnout 2003 - 2014

Franklin could set a record with the turnout in the Special Election on Dec 16th.

What is the special election for?
The election will present one candidate (and opportunity for write-ins) to fill the one vacant seat on the Town Council. Former councilor Robert Dellorco is the only certified candidate for the election.

Given the circumstances and timing for this election I would predict Franklin would not get more than 10% voter turnout. I hope you all prove me wrong but this is why I say this.

Voting in our local election is really the one time we, the Franklin voters, have the most direct control over our own destiny. There are always 'party influences', we can't avoid them but the Town Council candidates (as well as other candidates for Franklin elected positions), do not run on a party affiliation.

They are all independent candidates. They are our neighbors. They are volunteers. They do not get paid for what they do to run our government on our behalf.

The people who we chose are the ones who vote for about $100 million dollar budget. This funds our road repairs (what there is of the program), school budget, etc. They set the trash and recycling rates. They set the tax rate that we all pay. These are the local services we use directly or indirectly every day.

So please consider marking the date - Dec 16th - on your calendar. If you can't make it to the high school to vote, you can get an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk.

There really is no legitimate reason not to vote. Even if in this case it is only for one candidate.

Please get out and vote!

Color code:

Franklin local elections in RED
Presidential elections in LIGHT BLUE
State elections in GREEN
Franklin overrides in YELLOW
The Special Election is in PURPLE (Scott Brown for Kerry's seat)

My general rule, developed from the chart above, has that when there is a Presidential election Franklin turns out about 80% of the voters. The State elections get about 60%. Franklin override votes (operational or school building related) get about 40%. The local Franklin election gets only 20%.

The turnout is directly related to the amount of campaign funds expended for the election.

The results of each of the elections since 2007 can be found here:

Feel free to check the math. The results are all from the official publications by the Franklin Town Clerk, While I have been very careful in transferring where necessary from her paper to a spreadsheet a mistake may occur. I usually double check and cross check the numbers but I do not claim to be perfect.