Voter Apathy and the Missing Blufftonians

Bluffton Today column
October 20, 2010

With Election Day just a couple weeks away, I thought it only appropriate that we brace ourselves for that mysterious time of year when 75% of Bluffton residents disappear. And by disappear, I mean sit on their behinds and choose not to vote. Voter apathy in Bluffton is an epidemic. I’ve written about it before. No one ever listens to me. Alas, I will give it one more try …

I get that you are busy, and that your time is valuable, but it will only take 15 minutes to vote. I promise. So, omit one little part of your daily routine and you’ll have made up the time … don’t shave your legs, or skip the trip to Starbucks, or eliminate one Facebook login, maybe even trade in your daily workout and walk to your polling place instead.

With our Gubernatorial and US Senate seats up for grabs, I hope you will move to action (you can find those ballots at scvotes.org). And, if nothing else, direct your attention locally (bcgov.net). Don’t just sit back and watch the world go by, and let other people make decisions for you. When you do, you eliminate your voice, literally and figuratively. Meaning, if you aren’t going to vote, then for crying out loud, don’t complain. You haven’t earned that right. (I have earned that right, by the way, which is why I am going to continue down this path, just in case you were wondering.)

Now comes the twist. Locally, with the exception of the County Treasurer, every other seat that Blufftonians have the opportunity to decide, is an unopposed race. So, what is worse – folks not voting, or folks not running for office?

Whilst we are talking about the County Treasurer’s race, allow me to say this to the incumbent, Joy Logan. You ma’am, have some balls. I applaud your bravado (commence eye rolling) as you forge ahead in an attempt to continue to serve as an elected office, despite the public flogging that you have received, of late. I mean, the County Council has passed a resolution asking for your resignation. (Pay no attention to the fact that it is actually the voters who should be doing that, since we elected her.) And who cares that one of her former employees, the Clerk of Court, was indicted on federal charges of conversion of public funds. (Everyone makes a mistake now and then, right?)

Let me just point out that this time around, Joy Logan has an opponent.

His name is Douglas Henderson.

Now, I’m not going to tell you how to vote, but for the love of Pete (or Doug), would you do me the favor and at least do some research? If nothing else, could we ensure that Mr. Henderson has never let $200,000 of public funds disappear under his leadership? That’s all I ask.

Ok, now you’ve gotten me all riled up.

Since we are talking about the Treasurer’s Office, might this be the appropriate time to ask why in the world we are instructed to make the check out to Joy Logan when we pay our personal property taxes (car, boat, etc.)? Let’s ignore the obvious, and focus solely on the fact that my tax check shouldn’t be made out to a person. If these are county taxes, I’d prefer to pay the county. So, this begs the question, when I pay my property taxes online (I refuse to write a check to Logan) is it deposited into an account in Logan’s name (and, in essence funding her retirement, or legal bills for that matter)?

Now, my dear friends, if you decide to take my advice, and walk, jog, or bike to your polling place (doing good for your health and the health of our community, bonus!) then maybe you will be able to answer one more question for me. Why, oh why, when we have miles and miles of bike paths in Bluffton do the bikers insist on riding in the road? When they do this they put themselves and the rest of us in harm’s way. I mean, if I am driving in the right lane, and have to avoid a biker riding down the shoulder, but there is car in the left lane, whose life do I decide to save?

Now I am all worked up, and out of breathe, from agitation. I might ride my bike on Buckwalter Parkway this afternoon, just because I can. Or, maybe I should run for town council next time around. Just sayin’ …