Lynn Swann Didn't vote in 20 of last 36 Elections

[TheresNoMoney]

http://www.pittsburghpost-gazette.com/pg/06047/656348.stm

"Republican gubernatorial hopeful Lynn Swann didn't vote in 20 of the state's 36 elections in the past 18 years, a newspaper reported today, citing voting records from his home county.

The elections Mr. Swann missed included votes for governor, U.S. senator and president, and 13 of his own party's primaries, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

In an October 2004 interview with the Sun-Sentinel newspaper in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Mr. Swann had said, "I have always been someone to believe that when you have certain freedoms, you should exercise them and not take it for granted. If you don't take part in the process and you don't vote, then I am not willing to listen to your complaints."

The Inquirer said Allegheny County voting records showed Mr. Swann voted by absentee ballot in the general election a month later, but missed the GOP primary earlier that year when U.S. Sen. Arlen narrowly turned back a challenge by U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey.

Mr. Swann didn't vote at all in 2003, the newspaper said."

[Frodo]

The average Pennsylvania citizen at last has someone whom they could relate to.... 

[Keystone Phil]

Obviously not something that can, nor should, be defended.

[Gabu]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

[12th Doctor]

OMFG... since I have been able to vote in 2002, I have only voted 3 out of a possible 8 times.  You know why?  Because I could personalyl care less about who the Republican candidate for Jefferson County Controller is.  Do you realize how menial most of those elections are?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I believe I have voted in 9 out of 13 elections I could have voted in. There might have been some other elections I missed.

I voted in all non-local general elections.

[Alcon]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

[Gabu]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Oh yes, I suppose that's right.

[12th Doctor]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Funny, I acctually thought that that was South Dakota Indian Reservation Style.  

[12th Doctor]

The sad part for the libs is that this is the worst dirt they can dig up.

[Alcon]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Funny, I acctually thought that that was South Dakota Indian Reservation Style. 

Hey, watch it.  Corson County doesn't have that problem.  It's just, uh, all of the other Injun counties. 

EDIT:  Except for Buffalo, but no one really cares about Buffalo.

[minionofmidas]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Funny, I acctually thought that that was South Dakota Indian Reservation Style.  

LOL, you know there's few places in the US where a smaller percentage of the eligible voters vote?

[minionofmidas]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Oh yes, I suppose that's right.

In Germany these records are destroyed as soon as the period for challenges is up, to keep this info as secret as possible.

Good thing too. Otherwise the parties'd know exactly who votes every time and who never votes and which people turn out only at important elections - and would mail those poor sods to death.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Funny, I acctually thought that that was South Dakota Indian Reservation Style.  

LOL, you know there's few places in the US where a smaller percentage of the eligible voters vote?

Yeah, well that hurts the racist Republican argument "Indians stole the 2002 Senate race, waaaaaaah"

[minionofmidas]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Funny, I acctually thought that that was South Dakota Indian Reservation Style.  

LOL, you know there's few places in the US where a smaller percentage of the eligible voters vote?

Yeah, well that hurts the racist Republican argument "Indians stole the 2002 Senate race, waaaaaaah"

Well turnout there has been massively up in 2002 over 2000, and held up in 2004. It's still low in absolute terms, but it's not ... well ... comical, as it used to be. Navajo Rez had higher turnout (in absolute terms) in 2002 than in either 2000 or 2004 IIRC.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Funny, I acctually thought that that was South Dakota Indian Reservation Style.  

LOL, you know there's few places in the US where a smaller percentage of the eligible voters vote?

Yeah, well that hurts the racist Republican argument "Indians stole the 2002 Senate race, waaaaaaah"

Well turnout there has been massively up in 2002 over 2000, and held up in 2004. It's still low in absolute terms, but it's not ... well ... comical, as it used to be. Navajo Rez had higher turnout (in absolute terms) in 2002 than in either 2000 or 2004 IIRC.

Turnout was massively up in 2002 over 2000 for the whole state.

[Adlai Stevenson]

I bet he voted in the important elections though.  Bush for President and Santorumm for Senator in 2000; Fisher for Governor in 2002; Bush for President and Specter for Senator in 2004.

[minionofmidas]

The elections Mr. Swann missed included votes for governor, U.S. senator and president, and 13 of his own party's primaries, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Of course, that may have been a long long time ago...

[Akno21]

The elections Mr. Swann missed included votes for governor, U.S. senator and president, and 13 of his own party's primaries, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Of course, that may have been a long long time ago...

Still, it's within 18 years, after he was retired from the NFL. Since 1988, he's missed a Presidential election. If you're running for public office, it seems to me like a bare minimum that you care enough to vote for President, Senator, and Governor. Otherwise, one could conclude, likely incorrectly, but still plausibly, that his governmental aspirations are a spur of the moment type thing.

[minionofmidas]

IIRC Wes Clark has a similar record...

[Adlai Stevenson]

Clark's was more damaging because he was running in a Democrat primary having admitted that he'd voted twice for Nixon and Reagan.  However, it could have helped win conservative Democrats who gave him a victory in Oklahoma and boosted his campaign in South Carolina and Tennessee.

[Moooooo]

Maybe its just me, but I do not see this as the type of scandal that will derail his campaign.

[minionofmidas]

Maybe its just me, but I do not see this as the type of scandal that will derail his campaign.

It's not just you.

[WMS]

I'm just curious: how do we know this, given that (I thought) voting is by secret ballot?

Whether you voted or not is not secret.  Otherwise you could vote over and over again, North Dakota style.

Oh yes, I suppose that's right.

In Germany these records are destroyed as soon as the period for challenges is up, to keep this info as secret as possible.

Good thing too. Otherwise the parties'd know exactly who votes every time and who never votes and which people turn out only at important elections - and would mail those poor sods to death.

As is only fair. Why bother people who never vote? I get mail for every possible competitive election I can vote in, because I am that rare, highly prized *independent voter* *who ALWAYS votes* *and lives in an apartment*. I'm expecting plenty more mail this year.

[Q]

Why does living in an apartment increase your value as a potential voter?