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Mayor questions value of primary elections
(by Sue Reid - September 16, 2009)
Mayor questions value of primary elections
By SUE REID
It takes a really interested citizen to turn out to vote in a primary election, especially with just one issue on the ballot, Solon Mayor Kevin C. Patton said last week.
His comments followed the Sept. 8 primary in which the Ward 4 and Ward 6 council races were narrowed from three to two candidates each. About 26 percent of the total registered voters in Ward 4 turned out, and almost 25 percent in Ward 6, according to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The overall election turnout for the six Cuyahoga County communities represented in last week's primary was 11 percent.
In May, voters took part in a primary for the race for Bedford Municipal Court judge, as Solon is one of a number of communities that is part of the Bedford Municipal Court district. According to the board of elections, at the time of the primary, there were 18,354 registered voters and 1,052 ballots were cast, a 6 percent turnout.
In September 2007, when there was a primary for the Solon Ward 7 council seat, there were 2,218 registered voters in the three precincts and just 328 votes cast, 15 percent.
"Over the past several years, it seems that the voter turnout for primary elections has been getting lower and lower," Mr. Patton said. "It may be time for the city to take a hard look at not continuing this practice, and consider changing the charter to have all candidates compete in the general election in November."
Mr. Patton said his comments were simply his opinion and not a statement in his official capacity as mayor.
For well over 20 years, Solon has held primaries, beginning when a charter commission recommended an amendment that was approved by the electorate stating that, whenever more than two candidates file for an office, there would be a primary election in September. The primaries narrow the field of candidates to two, who then run against one another in November.
City Council has the right to propose a charter amendment at any time without having a charter review commission.
Mr. Patton said there are many communities in Cuyahoga County that do not have primaries and where all of the candidates compete in the general election.
Last week's primary cost the city $14,200. That represented a total of five precincts at $2,840 per precinct. Mr. Patton said prior to the final tally, that it seemed like a lot of money for what most likely would be a very low turnout.
Mr. Patton said he has been in primaries twice in past years, and they are expensive.
"It's essentially like running two campaigns," he said. "Besides being an expense for the city, it's an expense for the candidates." Mr. Patton said he believes that if there was only a general election, the overall cost for the campaigning would be somewhat lower."
Mr. Patton said of the pros and cons of a primary that it is a difficult thing to evaluate because of the fact that at times, it is better to narrow the field of candidates rather than have a large field.
However, Mr. Patton said, that the most the city has ever had was four candidates. "That doesn't seem like a larger number to me to be on the general election," he said.
Mr. Patton also said the board of elections is placing more emphasis on absentee voting. About 40 percent of the people who cast ballots on Sept. 8 were absentee voters, he said. As a result, the poll workers are seeing fewer voters walk into the site, "yet we're still paying for all those poll workers."
There has to be four staff members, including one presiding judge and three poll judges, at a table, per precinct, no matter how many issues are before voters, according to the board of elections. In addition, all of the equipment and incidentals, such as the scanner, ballot and poll book, need to be at each election site.
"It's a combination of cost and perhaps a level of participation," Mr. Patton said of why his opinion is to look at this issue closer. "I'm not saying it's not worth it, but for the cost of the election compared to the relatively low turnout, I think that we should study the relative value of continuing the practice of having primaries."
Mr. Patton also said that having a primary may mean that a candidate does not have enough time and opportunity to come forth with his or her whole platform of ideas.
"It just seems to me that there's a question in my mind as to the value of continuing primary elections in Solon."
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