Democrats, stung by low turnout, consider shifting Florida's election schedule

[TheNutcracker]

Source: Tampa Bay Times

TALLAHASSEE — After yet another defeat blamed on low voter turnout, some Florida Democrats want to change the rules and elect the governor in the same year voters pick the president — when turnout is always much higher.

In the aftermath of Charlie Crist's narrow loss to Gov. Rick Scott, strategists are plotting how to put an initiative on the 2016 ballot that would shift statewide races back to presidential years, as they were in Florida until 1964.

"Our state leaders should be elected by the greatest number of people," said Ben Pollara, a Miami strategist who worked on the medical marijuana campaign. "How can you argue that having fewer people participate in the political process is good for the state?"

Crist adviser Kevin Cate wrote an opinion column, which got picked up by liberal blog the Daily Kos, in favor of shifting statewide elections. It launched an online petition that argues: "More Floridians deserve to have their voice heard." Backers have sought legal guidance from Jon Mills, dean of the University of Florida law school and a former House speaker, who also worked on the medical marijuana campaign.

The 2014 election was the first Florida midterm in which 6 million people cast ballots, but that figure pales in comparison to the 8.5 million who voted in the 2012 presidential election in Florida.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/stung-by-low-turnout-democrats-eye-shifting-floridas-statewide-election/2208133

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It does not change the fact that people did not like either candidate very much, and the democratic party forced Crist on the voters. Along with that, the republicans said they would flat out not vote for him. This race was doomed from the get go....

[TheNutcracker]

1. They want to change the race for governor to the year that voters choose a president.

[wordpix]

23. may be good idea but defeats nationwide should analyze mistakes such as

1) Dems did not want O to campaign, which would have charged up/brought out more Afr. American Dem voters
2) Dems refused to do what O did after the campaign on immigration, which would have brought more Hispanic voters out
3) Dems did not talk about rise in stock market, increase in jobs, drop in unemployment and improvement in economy overall
4) Dems did not talk about gun control at a time when mass murder is going on weekly
5) Dems did not talk about O's success in coalition building in dealing with Mideast terrorists
6) Dems did not talk about environmental improvement such as increase in solar installments and national lands preserved
7) Dems did not talk about the ACA, which has increased the no. of people who are now insured and ended the "you've-got-a-pre-existing-condition-thus-we-won't-insure-you" strategy of the insurance cos.

etc etc.

In short, Dems ran away from their accomplishments and Obama's. Terrible campaign and now we all have to pay for it.

[DonCoquixote]

2. sigh

It's not that there is not some point to this, but let's face it, The Florida democratic party has nominated two people that were barely to the left of Reagan, who both lost by one percent, in dusputed elections, who both conceded before the catered food got cold. Add to the fact that Debbie Wasserman Schultz was useless as usual, and you have a mess. The only good thign is that instead of saving money for the Hillary Clinton campaign (which is what a lot of Florida Pumas did) maybe the party might try to organize, but I doubt it,.

[TheNutcracker]

3. Pretty much what I put in the comment section below the article. Changing schedule, changes nothing.

[SoapBox]

5. + a bazillion

Could they get any dumber?!?

Oh.

[rpannier]

6. Change the date, not the message

That oughta work wonders

[MBS]

22. " " " " n/t

[blkmusclmachine]

7. Crist is/was always a Republican. So, little or no choice. GOP or GOP-lite.

And that's what's WRONG with today's Democratic Party. Too many infiltrators, posers, fair weather "friends," sell-out Third Way wolves in sheep's clothing. And they want us to believe these tepid old school Republicans are the best the Party can do, all the while constantly seeking approval from the lunatics in the GOP, and helping move the nation further and further to the right, constantly seeking 1-way "bi-partisanship" that the GOP NEVER EVER returns...The Democratic Party has ceased to fool anybody with 2 eyes and a brain to their rightist agenda, bankrolled by the 1%!

[HockeyMom]

13. Alex Sink

Well, she was certainly a Democrat and lost by less than 1%. How much did Crist lose by? Don't you think maybe something is very fishy here? Neither wanted a recount?

[Ken Burch]

8. And they're gonna do that HOW....?

[Ken Burch]

9. If they really want to WIN, they should create a message

that appeals to Florida's rainbow. They're never going to get finicky 'burb voters who care more about "low taxes" than anything else.

You leave the base to rot, the base isn't going to show up. And you're never going to get enough voters who look down on the base to make up for that.

[secondvariety]

10. Well,

Florida Democrats can want in one hand and poop in the other and see which one fills up first. They are never going to get anything through a GOP led legislature that smells even remotely like it would benefit anyone but the GOP - no matter how many names are on a petition.

I suppose they could go the Constitutional Amendment route, but the FDP would find some way to screw it up.

[Scuba]

11. Let's try anything but policies that help people.

[TheNutcracker]

18. Exactly! Only special interests are at the table, regardless of 'party'

[Odin2005]

12. Typical DLC logic.

[jtuck004]

14. Well, sure, one always votes for the party with the best schedule. like, duh. n/t

[dicksmc3]

15. Try standing up for a Democratic Platform

Maybe if these so-called Democrats would come out with a standard platform like minimum wage increase, corporate tax reform, and show support for the president who has been able to get a few things through Congress without the obstructionism, they just might get the people out and vote for them.

[PeoViejo]

16. Ferguson protests didn't have a low turnout

Perhaps the Democratic Non-Leadership should take a hint.

[kickysnana]

17. Huh? Paging Dean. Please explain what happened to the fellows in charge now.

If the Justice Department does nothing about Fergeson and I have no doubt they will do nothing, they just lost another half of the votes they thought they could count on no matter what.

How can there be such a disconnect from reality?

[jeff47]

19. How about GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO VOTE FOR YOU FUCKING MORONS. (nt)

[jambo101]

20. Majority rules

If Democrats didnt want Rick Scott to win they should have got off their butts and gone and voted for Crist.Bit late now to be lamenting the loss, just keep it in mind for the big election in 2016.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. Third-Way corporatist "Democrats"

have been flinging the, "Shut up and vote" meme for years now. Tell me, how's that been workin' out for ya?

[joshcryer]

24. ITT denial about turnout.