It's dumb, badly-worded but not unprecedented. They're effectively advisory votes that are summarily igniored (not that Bush would pay attention to a national advisory vote on the matter).
I know it's not unprecedented. It's simply being used as a campaign issue. Like I said, this helps the Dems in my Councilmanic district. They just have to have every district seat. 
The Democrats are going to milk this at every level. At this point, it's a hot-potato issue like gay marriage. Even if only 5% of people will base their vote on it, they know that it's a 5% they can only gain, because only a tiny number of people will swing in the opposite way on the Iraq War issue.
As dumb as voting on local issues is because of that, this is the risk Bush knew he was taking for his party.
Poll
