Our most recent election has more than a few of us scratching our heads and musing about what in the world happened on the democratic side of the governor’s race. It raises multitudes of unanswerable questions about the decision process of the American voter and definitely the Mississippi voter.
Social media was rife with questions about who in the world is Robert Gray and where did he come from? Apparently he was just as surprised by his win as anyone. Mr. Gray was so disinterested in the process that he even forgot to vote. Makes you wonder what or who possessed him to throw his hat in the ring in the first place.
His chances of beating sitting governor Phil Bryant are slim to none, and that would be true for someone who actually wanted to work for the job which Mr. Gray clearly did not.
Story goes that he didn’t spend any money on his campaign and he didn’t make any speeches or conduct any polls to determine his chances. So what do we make of this phenomenon? There are a couple of options that might, working together, explain the recent results.
In the tradition of naming your business Acme, Inc. so it comes up first in the now defunct yellow pages, Mr. Gray’s name was alphabetically first in the ballot choices.
My personal best guess is that he was the only male on the ballot for governor. This is Mississippi after all. Apparently there are still some out there who think God ordained women to a lesser role like staying home and raising our future leaders. We have the skill set to train and guide them but we can’t be one. I will be forever struggling with that concept.
And so the voters chose the first male name for governor they came to and then moved on.
What makes this even more remarkable is that it was a field of three candidates (one man, two women) and he got enough votes to avoid a runoff. In other words it wasn’t even close.
So how do we make smart voting decisions? I have often gotten questions from friends who ask about their voting choices. Human nature is to procrastinate. When election day rolls around the research hasn’t been done so they tend to exercise one of their options which is to “phone a friend.” I am happy to share my voting plans and I appreciate the trust but it remains a hugely personal decision.
On or prior to election day, the local papers provide sample ballots. However, a sample ballot doesn’t reveal the details of a candidate’s beliefs. That is one reason why incumbency is so powerful. It is the devil they know rather than the one they don’t.
It takes research and time to find out the important details that lead to an informed vote. The path of least resistance is to keep the status quo. Another excellent argument for term limits, but I digress.
A savvy candidate can make their website their calling card and help the voter decide whether he or she is their cup of political tea. Another wonderful feature of our technological age. If a candidate hasn’t provided that information anywhere then don’t vote for him or her.
The $64,000 question: If you don’t know any of the candidates, is it better not to go vote than to just pick someone? It sounds faintly like a rationalization not to have to go to the polls but the answer is yes; if you can’t cast an educated vote don’t bother. If you have an opinion about some races and not about others, then simply don’t vote in the races in which you have no knowledge of the candidates.
In my not-so-humble opinion, the successful existence of democracy requires the obligation of obtaining knowledge. Without educating yourself about the candidates, you might as well stay home.
To underestimate the value of your vote short sells the future of your community and your country. I don’t believe that is hyperbole.
Your local vote has the potential to reverberate to the national level. The national candidates (except perhaps Trump) didn’t spring ready for prime time without having been supported on a smaller scale.
Think of your educated vote as an early national election choice. When you are selecting your alderman or your supervisor or your state representative consider growth potential and choose wisely. It is after all a job interview and you are the boss.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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