tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2312878583844313606.post1085309443772206874..comments2010-08-20T02:44:08.702-07:00Comments on Bill's KSFR News Blog: Gov. Bill a spoiler in New Mexico on Feb 5?Bill's KSFR News Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13381939828975906891noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2312878583844313606.post-15448994947010231642008-02-06T12:03:00.000-07:002008-02-06T12:03:00.000-07:00Problematic New Mexico vote:First the idea that th...Problematic New Mexico vote:<BR/><BR/>First the idea that the turnout was totally unexpected is ridiculous. The Dem party officials here were asleep at the wheel. Last friday Obama came to Santa Fe for a rally, and instead of 500 people, 10,000 tried to come; only 5600 could get in, the rest were turned away after all major roads to the location were stuck with bumper to bumper traffic not moving for 3-4 hours.<BR/>Someone might have noticed that. <BR/>Or simply asked around, we all knew turnout would be huge, like every other primary this year..<BR/><BR/>What's more, polling places were open only from 12 noon to 7pm, a major difficulty for working people, especially with kids.<BR/>Also, only a fraction of the voting places were open, forcing most people to try and figure out where they were supposed to vote. The Rio Rancho site, which didn't finish voting until well into the night, grouped together 39 precincts.<BR/>To cap it off, state employees, and the state is the largest employer in New Mexico- were not given any time off to vote.<BR/>Add in yet another blizzard (the National Guard has been called out in the north), and altogether voting yesterday was hardly routine.<BR/>What was our governor Richardson doing on the Sunday before the vote? Watching the Superbowl with Bill Clinton.<BR/>So it looks like the old democratic establishment here- led by the Governor, paid little attention to what was about to happen, and had no interest in facilitating a huge increase in voter participation. I lay that at Richardson's doorstep.Stephen Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14535745038542203698noreply@blogger.com