No. 19, January 2008

An informed voter is the best guardian of democracy.

Welcome to The Rhinebeck Demogram, an email newsletter bringing you information and commentary about current issues, candidates, and events. Published by Rhinebeck Democrats for all the people of our community.

To view this issue of The Demogram in html format, visit the Rhinebeck Democrats' website at www.rhinebeckdemocrats.org

Our email address is demogram@rhinebeckdemocrats.org As always, we welcome comments, questions, suggestions and corrections.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• VILLAGE ELECTION, MARCH 2008
• NUMBERS THAT COUNT:
  Election 2007
• NO VOICES, LOST CHOICES:
  The Importance of Being Affiliated
• EXPIRED PHARMACEUTICALS:
  Don't Flush Them Down
• CALENDAR
  

VILLAGE ELECTION, MARCH 2008

No peace for the wicked. Democrats have just emerged from the town elections of November 2007, angered and saddened by the opposition's tactics, and short of our goals for the Town Board. But there is no dearth of opportunity to make gains.

With hardly time to take a breath, Rhinebeck Democrats must focus their attention and energies on the Village elections, which will take place on Tuesday, March 18. Absent an extremely hot issue, it's difficult for voters to get excited about this most local of local elections, occurring during the dregs of winter. But the direct influence of village leaders on the daily lives of their constituents, and the possibilities for voters to keep those leaders accountable are two factors which make these elections so important.

This year two positions on the Village Board will be on the ballot, those presently occupied by Trustees Brenda Klaproth (Rep) and Svend Beecher (Dem). At this writing it is assumed that both wish to run for re-election.

On January 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Church of the Messiah parish hall, there will be an open meeting of Democrats to discuss the upcoming village election, the recent town election, the activation of our membership organization (Rhinebeck Democrats), and early preparations for the general election of November 2008.

On the following Saturday, January 26, at 10:00 a.m. in Town Hall, Democrats will caucus in order to choose our candidates for the Village Board. Only village residents will be eligible to vote in the caucus. but all are welcome. Please plan to attend, in order to help in the selection and endorsement of our party's candidates.

So keep in mind the following dates:

** Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 6:30 pm: Open meeting of Democrats at Church of the Messiah parish hall

** Saturday, Jan. 26, at 10:00 a.m.: Democratic Caucus at Town Hall

** Tues, March 18: Village Elections

If you won't be in town on Election Day, plan to cast an absentee ballot. We learned the hard way in the recent town election how pivotal they can be. Request an application for an absentee ballot from the Village Office now. With no delay, submit the completed application. When you receive your ballot, vote and make sure the Village Office receives it on or before March 17.

For more information, contact the Village Clerk/Treasurer, Gail Haskins, at 876-7015.

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NUMBERS THAT COUNT: Election 2007

With the help of statistics collected on January 3, 2008 and two years earlier in January 2006 from the Dutchess County Board of Elections, Office of the Democratic Commissioner, we are able to make some observations about the confusing and frustrating town election of November 2007, but it is difficult to come to conclusions. Can you determine the implications of these numbers? Your input would be welcome. Please send comments to demogram@rhinebeckdemocrats.org.

In general, voter participation was good for a local election

Total registration: 4,795
Total turnout: 2,706 (57%)

Matched with the comparable election of 2005, voting participation by the three major parties was up. The Republicans increased their participation by 3.5% and the Democrats by less - 1.4%.

NOVEMBER 2005
Democrats: 60.6% voted **
Republicans: 59.5 % voted
No Party: 41.9% voted

NOVEMBER 2007
Democrats: 62% voted
Republicans: 63% voted
No Party: 44% voted

**Meaning that 60.6% of registered Democrats voted


Enrollment for the Democrat and Independence Parties is up. For the Republican and No Party parties, it is down.

JANUARY 2006
Democrat: 1,657
Republican: 1,498
No Party: 1,290
Independence: 174

JANUARY 2008
Democrat: 1,761 (37%), up 104 **
Republican: 1,435 (30%), down 63
No Party: 1,276 (27%), down 14
Independence: 198(4%), up 24

**Meaning 37% of total enrollment


Democratic women are Rhinebeck's largest voting bloc and they went to the polls in the largest numbers

Democratic women
1,090 are registered (23% of total)
667 voted, constituting 25% of the total turnout
423 failed to vote

Democratic men
671 (14% of total)
454 voted, constituting 16% of the total turnout
245 failed to vote

Republican women
719 (15% of total)
452 voted, constituting 17% of the total turnout
267 failed to vote

Republican men
716 (15% of total)
454 voted, constituting 17% of total turnout
263 failed to vote

No Party women
660 (14% of total)
273 voted, constituting 10% of total turnout
387 failed to vote

No Party men
616 (13% of total)
291 voted, constituting11% of turnout
325 failed to vote

Note that in the case of both the Democrats and the Republicans, the turnout per centage was higher than the registration per centage. The No Party voters did not live up to their registration potential; while they constitute 27% of our registered voters, they made up only 21% of the total turnout.


Where are 117 voters? The final count tells us that 2,583 voters cast ballots for Highway Superintendent and 13 less than that voted for Supervisor, but that 117 chose not to vote in the Town Councilman race.


TOWN SUPERVISOR
total votes cast: 2,570

ThomasTraudt: 1,398
Steve Block: 1,172

margin = 226 (8%)



TOWN COUNCILMAN, first race
total votes cast: 2466

Bruce Washburn: 1,256
Lance Ringel: 1,210

margin = 46 (2%)



TOWN COUNCILMAN, second race
total votes cast: 2463

Dan Staley: 1,234
Monique Segarra: 1,229

margin = 5 (0.2%)



TOWN HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT
total votes cast: 2583

Kathy Kinsella: 1,335
Thomas Mannix: 1,248

margin = 87 (3%)


Our thanks to the Democratic Commissioner's Office of the Dutchess County Board of Elections, which, as always, has provided us with the information requested cheerfully and promptly, no matter how busy the staff.

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NO VOICES, LOST CHOICES: The Importance of Being Affiliated

This is an election year in which a lack of party affiliation counts heavily. In Rhinebeck our third largest group of voters is the "No Party" (aka Non-Affiliated). Currently the No Party voters number 1,276 or 27% of our total registered voters --- a substantial portion of Rhinebeck enrollees --- none of whom will be able to vote in the New York State presidential primaries of February 5 because they are not affiliated with any party.

Recently we heard a great deal about the "open primaries" of New Hampshire, in which voters, regardless of their party affiliation, can cross party lines and vote for any candidate, of any party. Other states have similar rules for their primary elections. But New York State's primaries are "closed." If you are now enrolled as a No Party voter, as of January 11, 2008 it was already too late to change your enrollment in order to have a say during the New York State primaries in February. You cannot support Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, George Romney, Ron Paul, or any other candidate with your vote.

Many, if not most, people who choose not to indicate a party affiliation when they register to vote consider themselves "Independent." But there is no such category. There IS an Independence (not Independent) Party. It is the largest of Rhinebeck's minor parties (198, or 4% of our registered voters). The Independence Party is relatively inactive in our area, but in other areas, such as New York City, its platform carries weight and its endorsement is sought by other parties' candidates.

So the Board of Elections considers the voters who do not declare a party affiliation to be Non-Affiliated, not Independent. And while these voters are not powerless, because they can vote for any candidate from any party in the November general elections, they are much less effective than they might be, because elections are sometimes decided in the primaries. For instance, depending on what happens between now and February 5, New Yorkers' votes may play a pivotal role in this crazy campaign season. It will be the second largest state (California being the most populous) voting on "Super Tuesday," when 19 states will hold primaries.

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EXPIRED PHARMACEUTICALS:
DON'T FLUSH THEM DOWN

We often wonder what to do with our unwanted or expired medications -- prescriptions, and supplements and other over-the- counter products, including those in pill, liquid or ointment form. We know they can be harmful to children and suspect that they may have wider toxic implications. To avoid immediate access by children and pets, we flush them down the toilet or wash them down the sink, not happy that it's the right solution.

And indeed it isn't. At present synthetic estrogen, sedatives, and antibiotics, to name a few of the medications containing compounds which are known or suspected to be harmful to us and to the environment, cannot be removed in wastewater treatment systems, including septic tanks. Therefore they are released to the environment to do damage that we are only beginning to recognize.

What are the options? SOME pharmacies (we are told) will take back unused medications, usually on special "drive" days. But most will not. Pharmacies and doctors are not required by law to provide this service and most do not want to undertake the responsibility involved. In 2007 Dutchess County scheduled "Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Days". However, medicines were specifically excluded.

A solution championed by the Florida Department of Environmental Conservation is far from perfect because medications placed in the trash, even with safeguards, will eventually make their way to a local landfill, where they have the potential of leaching out and into our groundwater. Nevertheless, if there is no other option, you might choose the Florida DEC's, taking the following steps:

• keep the pharmaceutical in its original container, inking out your name and prescription number, and tape the container closed;
• for pills, add some water or soda to start dissolving them in the original container;
• for liquid, add some cat litter, cayenne or dirt;
• Place the medicine container in a larger, opaque one, and seal that also. Place it in the garbage or trash, not with the recycling.
  

For the long term we must convince our municipalities that they need to provide the means for responsible disposal. For now, we must stop putting our pharmaceuticals in the waste water system.

Sources
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/medications
http://www.wisegeek.com
http://arthritis.about.com

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CALENDAR

Note: A monthly calendar of all Town Board, Village Board, Town and Village Planning and Zoning Boards, and the town Conservation Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings can be found on the Town and Village Government website at

The information below is subject to change, so please call the contact number provided for confirmation and additional information. All events listed are open to the public.


JANUARY

January 23, Wednesday --- OPEN MEETING OF DEMOCRATS, 6:30 pm at Church of the Messiah parish hall. (876-0885)

January 26, Saturday --- DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS, 10 am at Town Hall. (876-0885)

FEBRUARY

February 1, Friday --- "GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICA." Part of a national teach-in for government entities, non-profit institutions, faith groups, civic organizations, and businesses. At Bard College. (Call for more information: 845-758-7180)

February 2, Saturday --- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FORUM, 2:30 to 5 pm in Olin Auditorium at Bard College. Cosponsored by Rhinebeck and Red Hook Democrats. Representatives will speak on behalf of their candidates. (876-0885)

February 5, Tuesday --- PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY, noon to 9 pm, at all three Rhinebeck polling places. (Call the Dutchess County Board of Elections, 845-486-2473, for more information)

February 8, Friday --- A Northern Dutchess dinner and social with the theme "2008: BUILDING THE DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY," An opportunity to meet with Democrats from neighboring communities to discuss the results of Super Tuesday, recent local elections, and efforts to engage weekend resident voters in the local political process. 6:00 pm at Terrapin on the Dinsmore Golf Course, Route 9. $40 per person and a cash bar. Fran Knapp, Democratic Commissioner, will speak about the November 2007 election results from the perspective of the Board of Elections. (Please RSVP to 876-0885)

MARCH

March 17, Monday (St. Patrick's Day) --- DEADLINE: ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR THE VILLAGE ELECTION must be received by the Village Office. (876-7015)

March 18, Tuesday --- VILLAGE ELECTION, noon to 9 pm at Town Hall. (876-7015)

 

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