How To Win By Not Voting

[Luke T.]

You've all heard me complain how they keep raising property taxes in my state. Well, we got another measure on the ballot this week to raise them again.

The people who voted in favor of the measure outnumbered the number of people who opposed it by about a 3 to 2 margin. So it passed, right?

Wrong!

I decided not to vote. Here's why. The people where I live never saw a tax hike they didn't like. But somewhere back in time, before the state was invaded by a buncha Californians, somebody got another measure passed that said any tax increase could only be approved if more than 50 percent of the registered voters voted. Sort of a "double majority rule".

So, since the turnout for this last ballot was only 38 percent, the measure didn't pass even though a majority of those who did vote, voted to approve the tax hike.

Woo hoo!

Now before you get your tax hiking panties in a bunch, everybody has more than enough chance to vote. Our state not only mails your ballot to your house, they also mail an information booklet on all the issues and candidates on the ballot to your house weeks before the election. And anyone is free to pay for a pro or con piece in that booklet.

So all your lazy ass has to do is walk the ballot out to your mailbox any time before the final date of the election. So nobody is disenfranchised.

So what some people have figured out is that if they are afraid they are in the minority on a tax hike issue, it is better not to vote at all than to vote and risk pushing the turnout past 50 percent.

 

[Random]

Clever, you basically denied them a quorum. You were in the minority and realized that you could still win if you didn’t show up.

Of course, now we have to go back and look up any quotes you made regarding the Democratic legislators in Texas, but I’m sure your position is logically consistent.

 

[Luke T.]

Clever, you basically denied them a quorum. You were in the minority and realized that you could still win if you didn’t show up.

Pree-cisely.

Of course, now we have to go back and look up any quotes you made regarding the Democratic legislators in Texas, but I’m sure your position is logically consistent.

You mean the guys who left TX to prevent a vote being made on what they perceived as gerrymandering? I remember posting a district map or two or three of various states that made one wonder. I think it was Alabama that looked the worst.

 

[luchog]

I decided not to vote. Here's why. The people where I live never saw a tax hike they didn't like. But somewhere back in time, before the state was invaded by a buncha Californians, somebody got another measure passed that said any tax increase could only be approved if more than 50 percent of the registered voters voted. Sort of a "double majority rule".

So, since the turnout for this last ballot was only 38 percent, the measure didn't pass even though a majority of those who did vote, voted to approve the tax hike.

Woo hoo!

The county I used to live in had something similar, for land taxes at least. I don't recall the exact percentage, but it was probably about the same. There was an issue with school levy (based on property taxes) monies being grossly mishandled, including some outright lies by the school disctrict officials; and not a single levy passed from that point on, despite consistent favourable voting. Very few people against the levies would vote at all, in order to prevent a quorum.