Low Turnout; Rafsky, Olanoff, Murphy Win Contested Races

I don't want to open Pandora's Box here, but can some expert in human behavior comment on why there were so many blanks recorded in this election? You make the effort to go vote and then you don't vote in contested elections? 15% of ballots for planning board were blank and 18.7% of ballots for Housing Authority (contested race) were blank. That really doesn't make sense to me.

Could there be a technical problem where people don't know how to fill in circles? Are these scantrons tested to ensure they pick up a vote that may not be perfectly filled? I think it is an issue because errors of this magnitude could change the outcome of an election. Are the blank ballots hand counted?

I don't understand what you are talking about here...if you only vote for one candidate, then that is one vote. You cannot vote twice for the same person. There is no such thing as "bulleting."

The tapes of ballot machine results are taped to the door of town hall if anyone wants to examine them. I assume blanks are due to people who wish to express their non-support of an unopposed candidate. For contested races, they are votes for "other." I don't mark the ballot for candidates I don't know or support.

Joanie,

This is a copy of a letter to the editor that I sent in to the Daily Transcript.

The Westwood Public Library is a valuable resource that is used by community members of all ages and interests. It is used for pleasure, for education, for research and for problem solving. The library has meeting space for community groups and presentations that appeal to various interests. The Finance Commission is evenly divided on whether to support funding for the next step in the project to build a new library. Some members feel that in this economic environment a new library is a luxury. Libraries across the state and the nation are seeing an upsurge in usage in this economic environment. While completing the project will of course require funding from the Town and its citizens, the funds available from the State are a tremendous benefit that may not be available in the future. Too many issues have divided the Town of Westwood. Let us unite to keep alive the chance to enhance the service this valuable resource provides to all the people of Westwood. Please join me in moving for funding of the library article at Town Meeting for supporting its acceptance.

Joanie,

I don't know why the Fincom was divided. I don't recall seeing a split vote like that in the six years I was on the commission. What I've heard, and I have no first hand knowledge is that Fincom seems to be looking more at the purely financial aspects of warrant articles and less at intangibles. I think the new library will be in the same area as the current one and I don't think it necessarily means closing the Islington branch. I'm quite sure that Tom Viti and the Library Trustees have all of the information that you are looking for including budget information. Hopefully some of these questions can be answered at Town Meeting tonight. The lack of information to date is probably due to thinking that the $60,000 appropriation requested to continue the project wouldn't meet any opposition and that community presentations, etc., would be made when the full project and associated fundraising was on the table. Obviously this was an unfortunate oversight since the split Fincom vote does warrant additional information if the citizens are going to support this. I too am disappointed that this blog hasn't been more of a forum for discussion on issues. I think that will come. Perhaps Dave was just slightly ahead of his time.

My wife works 3 hours a week at the library and I do know Tom Viti and a couple of the trustees but I don't otherwise have any association with the library or the Fincom so these are strictly my opinions that I'm sharing.

Brian