BALLOT POSITIONS CITY OF ALBANY
SEPTEMBER 15 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Albany Citizen One presents a good summary
http://albanycitizenone.blogspot.com/2009/08/city-of-albany-ballot.html

Interesting alignment of candidates.

Row A UPDATE 8/12/09
ALL CANDIDATES WILL NOW APPEAR IN ONE
COLUMN GROUPED BY OFFICES
WITH INSTRUCTION VOTE FOR ONE
OF EACH GROUP
Jennings
i.e MAYOR -- Jennings
Vote for one -- Ellis
Sheehan

Shahinfar

Ricchuiti

Sullivan

Row B

Ellis

Barnett

Engstrom

McLaughlin

Igoe

The 14th Ward is the only Uptown Primary.
Expect a large turnout here- maybe 2,500+

Maybe not in the rest : Wards 8, 9, 12, 13, 15

All the citywide candidates of color are in
Row B.

All the Primary candidates in Wards 2, 3, 4, 5
are African-American. This should boost turnout
in these wards, which normally have low turnouts.

African-Americans, downtown, as well as
Uptown ,are likely to vote Row B. Also, liberal
whites, Uptown.

Will older white Democrats, Uptown skip the
primary and vote in the General, as they tend
to?

Or, will they come out in larger numbers
because of the perceived negative aspects of
Obamacare, including diversion of billions
of dollars from medicare, resultant rationing
of medical care for seniors and the "End of Life
counseling provision, which many fear amounts
to assisted euthanasia aka Dr Kervorkian style?

If the the seniors come out in large numbers
who will they vote for or against? That could
depend on the positions, if any, that the
Primary candidates take, or do not take, on
Obamacare.

Governor Paterson's no strings attached cash
giveaway to children on food stamps and welfare
is another wild card factor.

Also, the sorry actions/inactions of the State
Legislature - including failure to enact
property tax relief and the dastardly behavior
of Senate Democrats, Espada, Smith et al.

In case, politicians haven't noticed, voters
are scared and angry. Voters are disgusted
with the behavior of both major political
parties.

Will they simply stay home? Or will they
turnout im large numbers to vent their
fears and anger?

Who can tell? Beware of Get Out the vote
robocalls, and badgering voters to get
to the polls, or trying to twist their arms
when they go to the polls. These actions
may stir an angry hornets nest resulting
in unintended consequences.

One thing for sure...there are no more
sure things in politics today.

Joe Sullivan