Tuesday’s Election Day.<\/p>\n
Thank goodness. I feel a bit like Abigael Evans<\/a>; I, too, am ready for “Bronco Bamma” and Mitt Romney to go away.<\/p>\n I did not early vote. The early voting locations and times weren’t convenient to me. I’ll vote after work on Tuesday. The subway train will get back at 7 o’clock, I drive past the polling place (which closes at 8 o’clock). All will be good.<\/p>\n I have my sample ballot here. Let’s walk through it.<\/p>\n President<\/b> I’m leaning toward Jill Stein or Rocky Anderson. I live in a non-battleground state, and two weeks ago Lawrence O’Donnell made an impassioned plea for non-battlegrounders to vote their conscience<\/a>. Maryland will safely cast its Electoral votes in favor of President Obama in December, so I can vote for whomever I wish, knowing that the realistic candidate I would rather see in the Oval Office will win the state.<\/p>\n Why not Gary Johnson? If he ran on a platform of single payer universal health care, I’d consider him. If he ran on a platform to end forced mediation in contract disputes, I’d consider him. And if he didn’t want to nuke the economy<\/a>, I’d consider him.<\/p>\n Senator<\/b> Representative<\/b> Judges<\/b> Question 1<\/b> I have no opinion on this.<\/p>\n Question 2<\/b> I have no opinion on this.<\/p>\n Question 3<\/b> I’m for this. Under current law, a convincted official can remain in office until all the appeals are final.<\/p>\n Question 4<\/b> I’m for this.<\/p>\n Question 5<\/b> I really don’t care on this one. This ballot question is aimed at overturning the redistricting after the last census for a redo. Here’s an analysis of what’s at stake<\/a>, and while I understand it, I can’t muster much enthusiasm. Ideally, the state would redistrict on a non-partisan basis, but that’s not how it’s done, and overturning the map seems, to me anyway, like a pointless second whack at the apple.<\/p>\n Question 6<\/b> I’m voting in favor of this.<\/p>\n Here’s a commercial that’s playing a lot on television. I like it:<\/p>\n
\nThere are four choices — Obama (Democratic), Romney (Republican), Gary Johnson (Libertarian), and Jill Stein (Green). There’s also a list of roughly 20 write-in candidates I can choose from, including Virgil Goode (Constitution), Rocky Anderson (Justice), and that old standby, Santa Claus (Independent).<\/p>\n
\nThere are four choices here, but in functional terms Ben Cardin is running unopposed.<\/p>\n
\nThere are three choices here, but in functional terms Dutch Ruppersberger is running unopposed.<\/p>\n
\nI have no idea on these. However, all three are running unopposed.<\/p>\n
\nRequires judges of the Orphans’ Court for Prince George’s County to be admitted to practice law in this State and be a member in good standing of the Maryland Bar.<\/p>\n
\nRequires judges of the Orphans’ Court for Baltimore County to be admitted to practice law in this State and be a member in good standing of the Maryland Bar.<\/p>\n
\nChanges the point at which an elected official charged with certain crimes in automatically suspended or removed from office.<\/p>\n
\nThe Maryland DREAM Act.<\/p>\n
\nEstablishes the boundaries for the State’s eight United States Congressional districts based on recent census figures.<\/p>\n
\nSame-sex marriage.<\/p>\n