The Richmond County Board of Elections expects most of you -- 88 to 90 percent of you -- to stay home during today's local elections.
Hmm. If you like the sleepy status quo, maybe you should.
But we hope everyone else votes today, surprises the Board of Elections and moves this city forward against the odds.
Some in this election have actually been touting Augusta's gridlock as a good thing.
We're not kidding. District 1 candidate William Fennoy actually told voters Thursday that we need to keep the gridlock.
For those who desperately want progress, the path forward is crystal clear: Matt Aitken in Augusta Commission District 1; Joe Bowles in District 3; and Bobby Hankerson in District 5.
Last year's presidential election was exciting, historic and on top of people's minds. But the truth is, these quiet local elections likely have more impact on your life. And this one could have more impact than most.
Augusta is again at a crossroads: We can choose the current loggerheads and contretemps that have stymied the kind of progress that most cities would envy -- or we can realize that potential, grow the city, grow jobs and grow together.
The choice is yours. The time is now.
Voting is breathlessly effortless these days. The computer touch-screen ballots are fun, quick and easy to understand. There won't be long lines. You'll be in and out in minutes.
If you do want progress, but are unsure what district you live in, take just a few seconds to find out. Log onto www.augustaga.gov/index.aspx?NID=1117; there you will find a list of polling places by district, as well as a Secretary of State's Web page link at the top to find your precinct number. Or call the Board of Elections at 706-821-2340.
Board of Elections Executive Director Lynn Bailey says her office will actually be taking calls as early as 6 a.m. today. Now that is your government at work!
Please don't leave this election and the city's future for someone else to decide. It's too important. And consider: A commission race four years ago was decided by 11 votes. Your vote does count.
Make it count for progress.
WE ENDORSE
Augusta Commission
District 1: Matt Aitken
District 3: Joe Bowles
District 5: Bobby Hankerson
Richmond County Board of Education
District 5: Aishia Leverett
The general election is today.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
stymied. I love that word. Go Butch!
Vote for Change! Vote for an END to the special interest power brokers milking us taxpayers dry! Vote for FAIR taxation and ending the special tax breaks for the selected few with the right connections!! Vote Butch!! Vote Today! www.ButchForAugusta.org
My endorsments, District 1-Butch Palmer, District 3-Joe Bowles, District 5-Bobby Hankerson. I don't know Matt Aitken, he seems like a nice guy but his stance supporting TEE is enough for me not to want to see him seated. Too Everloving Expensive (TEE)
Aitken and the boys are making a big mistake. I only hope Palmer can overcome their greed.
Aitken is a go along, simple man, the machine found somewhere to run and we all know it. This tells me a lot about the AC, but it all comes back to the TEE and who profits. Augusta needs a last minute effort to get the voters out for Palmer. Let's stop talking and change Augusta.
Fennoy wants to keep gridlock for one reason, during one of his frequent trips to Estill, Charles Walker probably told him to.
Yep, ol' Fennoy was correct and others agrees. The article must first be interpreted because few folks believe anything coming from this bunch because of their history. And the folks named that "they" think is good are actually bad for U know who. So the game is simple, believe nothing U read locally and expect little positive info about anything dealing with U know who.
Fennoy stated that his way to fight crime is to,"Teach morals and values to our children." He offered no other alternative. Too late for this in my neighborhood. I will be dead and gone before this happens. Vote for Butch and the chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance will happen. We do not need gridlock on how to handle crime.
augusta editorial endorses hankerson and bowles..let's see both support the city spending 40-50 million dollars for a TEE center but no one shred of documentation was ever made available to support the contention that the Tee center will be profitable, just a feasibility study from 2001 and the word of the head of the CVB....then you have hankerson who wants to city to build a large water park near or at regency mall...of course both voted to hire a fire chief that did not have the proper credentials they advertised in the employment posting, of corese there's the teresa amith incident, say what you will about her competency, but NOTHING WAS IN HER FILE TO BACK UP AND/ALL ACCUSATIONS OF INCOMPETENCY...he boss "tax'em till they bleed fred" gave her above averages on all the bench on her performance review, so expect the taxpayers to to foot the bill on that lawsuit to the tune of 250,00-500,000 when it is all said and done...so these are the one that are good for augusta????? if they are then i would hate to see the ones that aren't
Vote against Aitken.. I will have to support Fennoy in the run-off.. on two of the biggest issues he is on the right side.. He is against the TEE Center give-away and seems to be more supportive of the CNPO. By the way.. I know several ppl who sent letters in to the chronicle supporting Butch and they were not printed for whatever reason. Hopefully Butch will keep pushing the CNPO.. it is importrant to make Augusta a more attractive place to live.