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JPZenger

(6,819 posts)
Thu Nov 7, 2013, 11:00 AM Nov 2013

Are Repubs purposefully not fielding candidates in cities to reduce Dem turnout?

Here's a new angle I haven't seen before. There are accusations that the Republican party is purposefully not fielding candidates for mayor and council, etc in many Democratically-controlled cities in PA in order to lower voter interest. The goal is to convince urban voters that there is no reason to show up at the polls, because there are only a couple contested races for their votes.

As a result, the Repubs then have a better chance to win state legislature and county elections, particularly in an off-year.

(The more conventional view is that they can't attract candidates in heavily Democratic cities if the Repub candidate has little chance of winning. However, recent history shows Repub candidates can win in city elections when voters are unhappy with their current government).

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Are Repubs purposefully not fielding candidates in cities to reduce Dem turnout? (Original Post) JPZenger Nov 2013 OP
Would not apply to Northampton County. PADemD Nov 2013 #1
Actually, Northampton Co this week is Exhibit A for this theory JPZenger Nov 2013 #4
It's possible, but someone is thinking too hard... TreasonousBastard Nov 2013 #2
Quite interesting. blue neen Nov 2013 #3
I wish I could give them that much credit Curmudgeoness Nov 2013 #5

PADemD

(4,482 posts)
1. Would not apply to Northampton County.
Thu Nov 7, 2013, 11:15 AM
Nov 2013

Check out their results. Five Republicans elected to County Council and an upset Republican victory for County Executive.

http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-election/-/132568/4001682/-/jihbtyz/-/index.html

JPZenger

(6,819 posts)
4. Actually, Northampton Co this week is Exhibit A for this theory
Thu Nov 7, 2013, 02:29 PM
Nov 2013

In Northampton County, an unknown Republican upset the respected mayor (Callahan) of the largest city in the County (Bethlehem), in the race for County Executive.

The Republicans also swept the County Council races, including defeating incumbent Dems.

Turnout in the city of Bethlehem was extremely low, where Callahan was most well-known. The voters in that city should have provided the margin of victory for a county-wide win, but the Callahan's margin in Bethlehem was less than a few hundred votes.

There were almost no republican candidates for office in Bethlehem or Easton.

Therefore, most of the local Democrats had little motivation to activate a major get-out-the-vote drive among city residents, and the average city resident really didn't have an interest.

Meanwhile, some of the Republican townships did have competitive local races.

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
2. It's possible, but someone is thinking too hard...
Thu Nov 7, 2013, 11:18 AM
Nov 2013

campaigns are expensive and a lot of work. Just the filing fees and signature collection before the campaign starts would be enough to turn off most people from a fool's errand. Then there's the opening your life to scrutiny and the humiliation of defeat after it's all over.

Running a local political campaign is expensive and hard work and in local elections there's rarely any paid staff to do the heavy lifting. I just ran for local office and we had to come up with money for office rent, phones, local advertising and signs... And then everyone out there running had to spend time doorknocking, phoning, speechmaking and hanging out in front of the post office and supermarket. And convince friends and other volunteers to help out.

Not one of us running or otherwise working got paid for this and with some of us it interfered with our regular jobs. We are now exhausted. And we lost 11 out of 13 races even though we had the best shot this year we've had in memory.

Nah, it's tough enough to find candidates to put up with this crap and even tougher to find money to finance it with no chance of winning. They just put their resources into places they think they can win and there's no conspiracy about it.

(The conventional view often has a lot going for it.)

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
5. I wish I could give them that much credit
Thu Nov 7, 2013, 07:45 PM
Nov 2013

because at least it would give an excuse for why we lost so badly in the statewide Superior Court race or in my county. Every office in our county government went to Republicans. But I think that it is more about Republicans being more fired up or more dependable voters than it is some conspiracy.

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