Early Voting Impact On Informed Electorate
Editor:
I am a new resident in Worcester County having moved to Ocean City in 2019 from another state.
Due to Covid fears, I decided to submit an early mail-in ballot for the 2020 election and did so for convenience and figured I would do the same for my local state and Worcester County election this year. I filed to receive the PDF ballot but I struggled with who was on the ballot not knowing my local political candidates as well as some higher offices including governor. I researched extensively online but found little to support many candidates.
Finally, I voted a few weeks back as best I could – feeling guilty like one might when choosing racehorses by name or colors – but I had little choice at that time.
Now a few weeks later and only a week or so before the July 19 deadline, I am inundated with news about various candidates from local printed press, candidate mailers and on the web.
Bottom line — early voting doesn’t lead to a more informed electorate. In previous years, pre-Covid, I would get this same information but I voted in-person on election day. Now, voting in advance hampered my ability to be well-informed and I’m sure I would have voted differently had I done so in person on July 19.
I will not repeat this mistake next election but more importantly, there are many out there who might.
Jim Trombino
Ocean City
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Poor Choices For Voters
Editor:
How disappointing, the options we have for commissioners for District 6.
We’ll be at the mercy of a complacent toad who can’t muster a response or the same breed of Shari’a Christian who overturned Roe v Wade.
While I agree with Mr. Addis’ sentiments on the nature of our representation on a career vs. volunteer spectrum and the perils of debt, his constitutionalist views happily overlook the intervening 250 years of industry, advancement and precedent. Mr. Addis doesn’t want businesses to be deemed non-essential. That’s a lovely sentiment, but it’s impractical and speaks to the recurring theme we find among so-called “constitutionalists” and “originalists.”
This variety of conservatism is oblivious to compromise, to good sense and reason. It’s oftentimes outright hostile to the very science that ensured the success of this first-generation farmer.
I’ve watched and listened in increasing discomfort as those who would cherry pick bible verses now deem themselves worthy of cherry picking our constitution.
What a selection we have.
Ryan Nellans
Berlin