Concerns re STD Proposal for EssexThe expected outcomes of any STD
(Special Taxing District) are problematic. (Home and Re STD pages offer details and resources). Below are additional items to note about the proposal for Essex, as well as background info on the selection of an election date in December.
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Whose idea was a separate voting date, 12 days before Christmas?
Why not ask 11,000+ voters when they came to the polls in November?
In the spirit of consolidation, is it not curious that the STD vote wasn't consolidated with other important questions on the Nov. 8 ballot?
Claims that a Rec STD vote must be held in December were false. Once a curious resident brought this fallacy to light, however, it was too late to warn the vote for November. December’s turnout, thanks to voter fatigue, holiday preparations, travel and weather, would be a fraction of the prior month’s...
At a joint meeting on June 22, Brad Luck indicated “there are some real challenges with operating a federal and local election at the same time” (48:36). In other words, holding the Rec STD election in November, when thousands more voters are expected to turn out than in mid-December, was “basically deemed impossible by the Town Clerk,” said Brad (50:07).
The RGSC FAQs stated, “it was impossible to hold both a local and federal election on the same day in Essex” for four months.
Will Senning, Director of Elections at the VT Secretary of State’s office, disagreed (Sept. 20):
I never advised the Town of Essex that it was “impossible to hold both a local and federal election on the same day in Essex.” I have spoken with the clerk, Cheryl, and she acknowledged right away that neither of us said it was impossible.
After exchanging messages with Cheryl Moomey, I understood that an election for the Rec STD board might have been appropriate in December. However, the Rec STD question itself could have been asked during the federal election, tapping the wisdom of the 11,209 residents who voted for President and avoiding the additional expense of a December election to seat a new Rec STD board, had the proposal failed in November.
But the emphasis doesn't appear to have been on finding ways to make voting easy for thousands of voters.
That the Town Clerk could have done by herself.
Instead, Brad Luck appeared and offered to help Cheryl select a voting date!
Among his early suggestions:
As Cheryl wrote on Nov. 3: "I pushed for March Town Meeting but was told that would be too late. Then I pushed for 1/10/17. I was against 12/13 because petitions are due 11/7, the day before the general election, so I have to prepare ballots while I’m doing a general election Tuesday and official results Wednesday."
Despite her protestations, Brad and his preferred Dec. 13 date prevailed. Cheryl, who'd already presided over 5 elections in the past 12 months, had yet another election to shoehorn into her schedule before retiring at the end of Dec. 2016. As did voters.
Why not ask 11,000+ voters when they came to the polls in November?
In the spirit of consolidation, is it not curious that the STD vote wasn't consolidated with other important questions on the Nov. 8 ballot?
Claims that a Rec STD vote must be held in December were false. Once a curious resident brought this fallacy to light, however, it was too late to warn the vote for November. December’s turnout, thanks to voter fatigue, holiday preparations, travel and weather, would be a fraction of the prior month’s...
At a joint meeting on June 22, Brad Luck indicated “there are some real challenges with operating a federal and local election at the same time” (48:36). In other words, holding the Rec STD election in November, when thousands more voters are expected to turn out than in mid-December, was “basically deemed impossible by the Town Clerk,” said Brad (50:07).
The RGSC FAQs stated, “it was impossible to hold both a local and federal election on the same day in Essex” for four months.
Will Senning, Director of Elections at the VT Secretary of State’s office, disagreed (Sept. 20):
I never advised the Town of Essex that it was “impossible to hold both a local and federal election on the same day in Essex.” I have spoken with the clerk, Cheryl, and she acknowledged right away that neither of us said it was impossible.
After exchanging messages with Cheryl Moomey, I understood that an election for the Rec STD board might have been appropriate in December. However, the Rec STD question itself could have been asked during the federal election, tapping the wisdom of the 11,209 residents who voted for President and avoiding the additional expense of a December election to seat a new Rec STD board, had the proposal failed in November.
But the emphasis doesn't appear to have been on finding ways to make voting easy for thousands of voters.
That the Town Clerk could have done by herself.
Instead, Brad Luck appeared and offered to help Cheryl select a voting date!
Among his early suggestions:
- 5 days before Christmas,
- 2 days after Christmas, and
- 2 days after New Year's,
As Cheryl wrote on Nov. 3: "I pushed for March Town Meeting but was told that would be too late. Then I pushed for 1/10/17. I was against 12/13 because petitions are due 11/7, the day before the general election, so I have to prepare ballots while I’m doing a general election Tuesday and official results Wednesday."
Despite her protestations, Brad and his preferred Dec. 13 date prevailed. Cheryl, who'd already presided over 5 elections in the past 12 months, had yet another election to shoehorn into her schedule before retiring at the end of Dec. 2016. As did voters.
