Fido for President

I need you to help me understand something.

Three to four thousand people attended the Shelter Party and Treat Fest last weekend. This is a remarkable number and I am thrilled that the Palmetto Animal League is receiving such great support. I am, after all a dog lover at heart. However, I have to admit that this number shocks me.

Let’s review… On November 15, 2005, 265 Bluffton voters came out for our local election. This was a mere 22% of the nearly 1200 registered voters.

We throw a party for pets and thousands come out of the woodwork. Let’s be conservative and estimate that 40% of Pet Party attendees were adults of voting age. Then, let’s assume that there were 3,500 people in attendance. That means that 1,400 people woke up in the morning, took a shower, ate breakfast, grabbed a leash, treats, and poop bags, loaded the dog into the car and drove to the event.

How come 1,400 people can’t be moved to wake up on Election Day, take a shower, eat breakfast and head to the polls? Imagine the ease of not having to bring the dog with you. Heck, it is so easy to vote. Why aren’t more of us taking advantage of our right to vote?

If all of the adults who attended the Shelter Party were registered and voted in the upcoming elections, we would see a 528% increase in numbers at the polls. That is an impressive number.

Moving on … here is a sample of topics discussed in the VOX and blogs in the last week:

Those damn left-wing liberals.
Those damn right-wing conservatives.
Those damn Yankees.
Those damn illegal immigrants.
Those damn Sun City-ers.
That damn Bluffton Parkway.
That damn Sheriff.

With 2 available seats on the Bluffton Town Council, how come we aren’t discussing the candidates? There are two so far. Do you know who they are? And why pray tell is no one else stepping up to the plate?

Have you heard? Our Governor is up for re-election. How come we aren’t debating the merits of Governor Sanford and his opponent Tommy Moore?

With our U.S. Representative seat on the ballot this year, how come we aren’t discussing incumbent Joe Wilson and Michael Ray Ellisor.

Voter apathy in Bluffton is an epidemic.

Let’s put our energies into something positive, something that we do have control over. Get off your damn derrieres and vote on November 7 for the state and national races. And, if you would be so kind please vote again on December 5 for our local races.

Oh did I mention that we have two Election Days in Bluffton? I am amazed that with the rampant voter apathy in Bluffton the decision was made to keep two separate elections days in the town. (All so recently annexed residents could experience two elections. Whoopee!) The good news is in 2007, we only have to wake up one morning, take a shower, eat breakfast and vote. What a relief that will be.


Courtney Naughton is a Jersey Shore native who relocated to Bluffton. This damn Yankee is really peeved by the voter apathy in Bluffton. Courtney can be reached at courtneynaughton@hargray.com.