There seems to be a big push to "get out the vote." First we had the LW YES Pac send out a reminder to vote and where our precinct is located and now Michael Chase Flack Fox with a voter's registration table set up at the Lake Worth Casino where Pam Triolo was giving her State of the City political speech and who is up for re-election on March 15, 47 days from now.
Florida passed a law in 2012 that requires groups that register voters to turn in completed forms within 48 hours or risk fines, among other things. If Mr. Fox was affiliated with a voter's registration organization or someone from the Supervisor's office was there, he could register voters. Otherwise, he could pass out the forms but not collect them according to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections office.
The problem that I see in this endeavor is the fine line between a State of the City speech which is full of every positive/embellished thing an elected official can muster to bring attention to her achievements, true or false, and its timing of the event. The very fact that it was given on public property with an election just weeks away is problematic. I would imagine that she ran it by the city attorney first, thus costing the taxpayers of this city.
104.31. Political activities of state, county, and municipal officers and employees
(1) No officer or employee of the state, or of any county or municipality thereof, except as hereinafter exempted from provisions hereof, shall:
(a) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or a nomination of office or coercing or influencing another person's vote or affecting the result thereof.
I didn't go. How was it? Was she campaigning> Now that's a stupid question.
ReplyDeleteI didn't go either, but that's some serious stuff having your own people doing voter registration right there. Do snowbirds who formally reside in other states also get to vote locally in Florida? I know from news investigations that many claim homestead exemption in two states. Don't remember which news team now. It is illegal to do that, but here's the catch: no one checks this between states. The data is there but no one checks with other states. Just a thought: is anyone voting twice? They have found people voting twice in national elections here.
ReplyDeleteIt's the annual state of the city address... It's held annually!
ReplyDeleteSo are you suggesting that a sitting mayor (governor, president...) that is running for reelection can not deliver the state of the city (state, country...) because that speech could be viewed as campaigning as they deliver the state of the city (state, country...)?
Wouldn't that be abdication the responsibility to periodically address the populace?
Seems like a catch 22
It's ONLY a grey line because of an upcoming election in 47 days. As said, she could have postponed her State of the City until AFTER the election.
ReplyDeleteShe was walking a thin line!
ReplyDeleteStating city facts about 2015 is ok.
Dreaming about what she's gonna do in 2016
(she's got 47 days left out of 365 days) is
campaigning!
Lynn, I am glad you recognize Pam is going to win or why else would you state "until after the election"? Now she couldn't address the city if she wasn't major could she? Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't the point of what I said and you know it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Pam Triolo has the win percentage going for her especially now that Diane has had a deadly illness and is still recuperating. She may not be able to get back in the game.
I like Pam for many things that she does. It's the really important ones where she has gone against the people that I have a problem with--
Bond, Heights, Hudson Holdings, that sort of thing. I have a whole list on the right side of my blog.
I don't perceive Michael to be in one camp or another. Maybe I'm misinformed but he seems pretty neutral and I know he has had his own problems with city hall.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for getting more people into the political process so I fully support any effort to get folks registered. Turn out for municipal elections, what often impacts you more than any other political race, is way too low.
did you happen to notice who liked him on facebook for doing this?
ReplyDelete