tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post340901862357331896..comments2024-03-22T13:06:27.366-05:00Comments on WataugaWatch: Watauga Board of Elections to ASU Students: We Really, Truly Don't Want You To Vote!J.W. Williamsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17694324792688711136noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-60028673533687916322016-07-15T17:02:26.424-05:002016-07-15T17:02:26.424-05:00Legends has fewer parking spaces (62) than are res...Legends has fewer parking spaces (62) than are reserved for the ASU Student Union site (70) and those 62 Legends spaces are shared with dorm resident vehicles. Legends sucks. It floods, has no windows, and the long lines of voters have to stand out of cover in bad weather. I know this because up until we got back the early voting site in the Student Union, I had to vote there on election day. Legends is a dog of a building, fine if you can drink beer to forget while you're in there that your feet are squishing on the carpet because it rained earlier in the day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-55661688398323916142016-07-15T13:27:55.903-05:002016-07-15T13:27:55.903-05:00I wear bifocals and hate the parking lot at Legend...I wear bifocals and hate the parking lot at Legends, which, last time I was on it, was full of pot holes and a darn near twisted an ankle. I also don't really want to stand in a long line out in the weather. And there WILL be lines (after all, what better way to make sure people in a time crunch don't get a chance to vote?)<br /><br />We all know what this is about. We all know the end game. We're all tired of it. How about we make sure EVERYBODY has easy access to voting and stop trolling. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-39298784672423319012016-07-15T12:47:57.578-05:002016-07-15T12:47:57.578-05:00Good point anon! You, of course, would obviously p...Good point anon! You, of course, would obviously prefer Legends where there is even MORE parking and a shorter walk from your car to the polling place!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-49781397565867155272016-07-15T12:10:00.402-05:002016-07-15T12:10:00.402-05:00Having never been to 'a secret meeting or a sp...Having never been to 'a secret meeting or a speak-easy or an unlicensed physician or a fortune teller', I cannot tell you what that feels like. I do know that the 50' marker is now outside the building at the Student Union...out in the sunshine / rain / snow. Which, of course, means - at all three entrances to the building. There is, of course, only one entrance to the ROOM where voting occurs, with lots of signs on how to get there, making the path obvious. Glad you get to vote where you prefer, at the courthouse (the Annex during early voting, of course), but a lot of us old fogeys prefer to vote at the Student Union where there's more parking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-83126232330027132552016-07-15T08:02:50.527-05:002016-07-15T08:02:50.527-05:00Mike D., you have really jumped the shark this tim...Mike D., you have really jumped the shark this time. What a load of fantastical crap ... "shadowy doorways" ... "speak-easy or an unlicensed physician or a fortune teller." Good lord, man. You're straining for crazy comparisons to prop up an indefensible attempt to make voting more difficult for ASU students. Just be honest about it. You and Aceto are perfectly willing to reduce the numbers of student voters to protect your favored office-holders or promote your favorite office-seekers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-29878030908198703482016-07-15T06:59:32.258-05:002016-07-15T06:59:32.258-05:00OMG. Are you serious?OMG. Are you serious?Richard Tidymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01135333892411763997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-27397168618339976992016-07-14T23:36:20.621-05:002016-07-14T23:36:20.621-05:00I can only speak for myself, and I've not seen...I can only speak for myself, and I've not seen Mr. Aceto's list, but personally, I prefer to vote at the courthouse, and I would definitely prefer Legends to the student union. The student union feels very uncomfortable to me as a voting site. There are too many points of access. Perhaps I am a traditionalist, but I like a site where there is one way in, an obvious path to the polls. I want to see candidates on the sidewalk or in a parking lot talking to voters, not in alcoves and shadowy doorways that lead to back hallways which take me to the polls. It has a back-alley feel to it, like I am headed to a secret meeting or a speak-easy or an unlicensed physician or a fortune teller. Voting should be as public as possible. I want candidates on a public street corner, waving flags and hoisting placards at passing cars, not huddled in alcoves, seemingly selling watches from under their trench-coats. I worked to support a local Democratic candidate at the student union one time, and I felt like I was doing something wrong, just because of the physical environment.Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-24499016876539297482016-07-14T14:22:40.580-05:002016-07-14T14:22:40.580-05:00Ah yes, Mike D - the old "false equivalence&q...Ah yes, Mike D - the old "false equivalence" rears its ugly head again. Republicans can't defend their positions. All they can do is say "The Democrats did it too" and then offer absolutely no examples or proof of their claims. The simple fact of the matter is that Republicans try, in every possible way they can, to make it harder to vote. From cutting the early voting period, to moving the polling places to remote areas (like when they insisted that Mt. Vernon church was located on a "major road"), to being openly hostile to ASU students instead of trying to win their votes. Democrats do no such things. Democrats generally want MORE people to vote. Shouldn't that be the goal, anyway? Are you really happy with 35% voter turnout?Anonagainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-70366595391330468532016-07-14T12:54:03.850-05:002016-07-14T12:54:03.850-05:00"Professors giving "extra credit" i..."Professors giving "extra credit" if the go vote and are given marked sample ballots. You are made because there isn't the traffic at legends that there is at the student union."<br /><br />WHO is doing this? What an inflammatory accusation! But of course, no proof... <br /><br />To Mike D - the point of this post is to call out Bill Aceto for running roughshod over the BOE - and over voters in the county. Did he share his points with the other Republican on the board? Apparently not in time for her to read them. Can he order Appalachian to shut down its on-campus nightclub for 10 days or so? Probably not. Did Appalachian offer up its on-campus nightclub? Apparently not. What is the point of having public comment if you've drafted your plan in advance of public input? There is no point - it was a waste of time for all involved. <br /><br />The Plemmons Student Union was the most used polling place in the last election. THAT's the issue the Watauga County Republicans have with it - voter suppression is their thing these days. Why? I'm not really sure as this is a very red county... <br /><br />Bill Aceto made all sorts of inflammatory accusations - but had absolutely no proof/facts/data to back them up. I'm really sick of the Republican disdain for the truth - and I've actually NEVER seen an official from ANY party treat the public with the disdain and rudeness that Bill Aceto exhibited at the BOE meeting. He is absolutely not fit for public service. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-48955776671561776322016-07-14T06:50:30.996-05:002016-07-14T06:50:30.996-05:00you dumbocrats are just made because your ilk can&...you dumbocrats are just made because your ilk can't grab students and drag them to register and vote for your wants. Alot of students are being told to register and vote in boone then change back and vote again at their home county. Professors giving "extra credit" if the go vote and are given marked sample ballots. You are made because there isn't the traffic at legends that there is at the student union. You, williamson are the problem with your party. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-53435599023901846982016-07-13T22:24:57.739-05:002016-07-13T22:24:57.739-05:00Anonymous, I point no further away than the post i...Anonymous, I point no further away than the post itself.Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-25945824708397672412016-07-13T17:00:42.387-05:002016-07-13T17:00:42.387-05:00When Democrats ruled the BOE Republicans rightfull...When Democrats ruled the BOE Republicans rightfully denounced Democrat partisan politics. Now that Republicans rule the BOE Democrats rightfully denounce Republican partisan politics. This is the reason voters of both parties have lost faith in our system. No one wants to do what is right, just what serves their own interests.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11984854453454607682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-12066078061793368542016-07-13T15:51:16.844-05:002016-07-13T15:51:16.844-05:00WTF, Mike D. I am not naive enough to think that D...WTF, Mike D. I am not naive enough to think that Dems don't play partisan politics, but what local Dem similar partisanship would you like to point to as similar to that in the subject of this post. Gimme a break.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-24443883953532531972016-07-13T15:15:27.647-05:002016-07-13T15:15:27.647-05:00The thrust of the complaint of this post, once the...The thrust of the complaint of this post, once the copious emotional language is peeled away, is that partisan politics are bad. I totally agree. But in order for you to claim that partisan politics are bad, you have to abstain from them yourself. The blog admins are lifelong partisan political activists from the other side of the aisle. So I just don't understand. When someone is willing to play the same game you play, you ought to be happy about it! You should celebrate that someone is still willing to dance your dance!Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-80493476400299494932016-07-13T12:27:47.191-05:002016-07-13T12:27:47.191-05:00You bet, Gercohen! Totally counter productive. But...You bet, Gercohen! Totally counter productive. But they keep on doing the stuff that totally alienates the college students. You'd think that eventually they might pivot, start reaching out to ASU students with their own positive message -- "Vote for Republicans, because we..." ...whatever their message might be. Instead, they continually send the opposite message. Several of the 30 people who spoke during public comment last night warned the BOE members that their actions were harming their own cause ... to no effect.<br /><br />They have their "script," and by Gawd, they're sticking to it!J.W. Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17694324792688711136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-5074950697629918902016-07-13T11:21:19.314-05:002016-07-13T11:21:19.314-05:00The end result of this (whether the site is at Ple...The end result of this (whether the site is at Plemmons or Legends) is that young people will be even more motivated to vote -- and the key will be keeping them on task on the ballot at least through county commissioner, which will be on the front side of the ballot. These kind of tactics are usually counter productive.gercohenJoMC712https://www.blogger.com/profile/02020934914983898853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-10087765306738355362016-07-13T09:55:03.358-05:002016-07-13T09:55:03.358-05:00Majority of one - Bill Aceto. What a fiction he pr...Majority of one - Bill Aceto. What a fiction he presented last night! <br /><br />This was my first visit to a BOE public hearing. Have never seen a public official as rude as Bill Aceto. Wow, is all I can say. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com