Primary Day

Today is/was (polls close at 8 PM) primary day here in Pennsylvania. Only two state wide slots for Judge are on the ballot, everything else was for county and local only. Commissioners, District Judges, Schools Supervisor (I think that was on there) were on the slate. Most slots were contested; that is, there were more candidates than there were openings, but there were a few that were not. I went down at 9 AM and was the only person besides poll workers in the place. Don't think it's going to be too big a turnout. (Terry has no listed party affiliation so she didn't get to vote.)

One thing that surprised us when we moved out here was the dearth of information about candidates running for office. Oh, sure, we got fliers up the wazzoo for the Presidential and Gubernatorial races, but there was precious little communication from the local folks. A few roadside signs, maybe a radio ad or two, but not much even in the newspapers. Of course, being in such a remote area as we are, there isn't but one local newspaper--and that's a weekly. The Williamsport (Lycoming Co.) paper and the one out of Elmira, NY focus far more on their immediate surroundings and report very little about what's going on in Tioga and Potter counties and towns. And not much short of a real juicy scandal will get them to do so. (There is one blog out of Coudersport in Potter Co. that attempts to keep the locals as well informed as possible, but even that is often not much more than ads, radio scanner reports, and obituaries.)

Unless you're into going to town hall and county commissioners' meetings (and you even have to do some searching to find out when and where they are!), you really do not get a good deal of information on the incumbents, let alone the hopefuls. As a result, you really need to pay attention to what little information you can glean from the meager sources and try to make an educated selection.

Any way. I went and cast my ballot today. Damned if it didn't feel like I was buying a pig in a poke though.