The Arnone Report: You need to get out & vote!
“Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual–or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country. ” – Samuel Adams
By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone
Freeholder Tom Arone
The primary election is over and I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all the candidates that won. Now as you prepare for November, I look forward to seeing positive campaigning over the next couple of months – let’s keep the focus on the issues concerning our constituents.
Voter turnout in Monmouth County was 2.9%, based on the number of eligible voters in the county. We need to improve this number! Your vote is your voice as an American citizen – you need to show up at the polls to have that voice heard. If you are unhappy with how things are being run in your municipality, our county and throughout the state of New Jersey, it is your duty to make a difference by voting. Our right to vote in the United States is a privilege that was granted to us hundreds of years ago by the founders of our great country. If we do not exercise our civic duty to vote, then we fail to create a government that epitomizes the voice of the people, and therefore we will not have representatives that reflect our opinions. So each vote is important, each vote counts.
We’ve seen what the power of the vote can do in this country and throughout the world. Look how many people returned to Ireland last month to have their voice heard on the issue of marriage. Regardless of your personal opinion on the matter, whether you are for or against it, it was truly amazing to see the numbers of citizens that returned home to vote. The vote had to be cast in person by most, so thousands returned by plane, train and boat. More specifically, polls indicate that 60.4% of the 3.3 million eligible voters turned out to cast their vote. The power of the people is awesome and I encourage you to harness that power, and over the next few months to get to know your candidates, attend meetings and ask the questions that are important to you. Then in November, exercise your right and privilege as an American citizen, use your voice and vote.
Thank you!
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and yet running a primary against an incumbent or against the party line is frowned upon and few or no resources or people are willing to help campaign for or raise money for a primary challenger. For the first time in my eligible to vote years, I did not vote in this years primary as a simple protest to a ballot without a single contest or public question. What a waste of money and resources to have even held an “election” where the winners have already been chosen. Even Bob Walsh gave up trying to run against incumbents and running against the party line. Love him or hate him, at least voters could pretend they had an option.
http://patch.com/new-jersey/marlboro-coltsneck/monmouth-county-gop-chairman-showing-signs-nervousness-0
At least you were able to vote if you choose to. What is more upsetting is that in manalapan, the incumbents have already decided who the Mayor will be next year. This is decided by 5 people at townhall who say they represent the
40,000 people who live here. Their answer is always the same. “Go door to door and get thousands of signatures if you want to change it” Why can’t they vote on it like they do every thing else. There should be an election for mayor at the polls. What are they afraid of? There is not one mayor who has sat up there who should think of themselves as “mayor” as they have not been elected by their 40,000 constituents but picked by 5-6 people who don’t always have the best interests of the community as we found out with “Mayor” Andrew Lucas now serving 5 yrs in federal prison
I agree with you 100%. To “king” or “queen” a mayor in a smoke filled back room is nauseating. But first the folks in Manalapan have to vote to change their form of government that permits them to vote for a sitting mayor.