Paying for Support (votes) was rampant
Call me naive, but I was curious why a voter told me they supported me and was voter number "147". The voter number is the number they were in line at the polls. Why would they know their "voter number" and why would they care? It turns out that some campaigns participated in paying about $40 of "street money" to "volunteers" to sit around in campaign t-shirts and vote for a certain candidate. The voter number is one way they verify the voter voted. While they cannot confirm the volunteer voted for that candidate, the campaigns hope the money will persuade volunteers to vote for the candidate and keep the gravy train coming in the future. It is an old and outdated way of doing business and one I feel is missing the real opportunity to obtain real support by speaking to the minds and hearts of voters rather than their wallets. Money is powerful, but it is limited. Someone with more money can come along and steal those "votes". Winning minds and hearts is more powerful, less expensive and can last a lifetime. When I spoke to people receiving street money, they were hungry for a different choice and different way. With the proper leadership and courage I am confident we can reach the minds and bodies of these "volunteers" and put an end to paying for supposed "loyalty". For more on street money and paying for votes, read this article in the Jersey Journal titled Some campaign 'volunteers' go where the green is
posted by Scott at 9:29 AM
10 Comments:
Congratulations Scott,
All ribbing aside, you ran a brilliant, clean, honest and above all substantive campaign.
Both you and Jeff Faria deserve great applause.
Sincerely,
Tony Soares
Scott,
You did a great job reaching out to the voters. Watching you in action interacting with local residents (and visitors) revealed how passionate you are about Hoboken and making it a better place to live and to work.
Keep involved and focused on the issues. There are still a lot of things that need to be accomplished in town.
Choose wisely over the next couple of weeks!
HI,
Congrats on your run - nice job.
I found it funny that you wondered why people know their voter number. I always find it funny when people don't know their number. It's nothing sinister. It's used as a way to gauge turnout or sometimes people "play" that number, you know-Pick3. Harmless fun.
I was wondering about the voter number too.
It makes sense that it could have something to do with gambling/lottery. I think gambling problems are pervasive in town these days.
Thanks for clarifying what it meant.
I felt compleled to answer....I said "sometimes" people "play"it. I never have, but I always know and ask about the number. I hardly think it indicates gambling problems or voter fraud. Just an Old Hoboken thing...enjoy it or not...don't read too much into it.
I give you tremendous credit for following your dreams and admire your incredible desire to have an impact - in business, in charity work, in politics, in life.
The best is yet to come. Onward and upward!
Hi Scott:
Congratulations on your campaign and your efforts. You deserve a lot of credit. Don't be disappointed or discouraged by the results, your did a great job. Please don't give up, Hoboken needs people like you in city government.
How can you now support the biggest offender of paying for votes this city has ever known?
Scott,
Congratulations on a good race.
I do have a question, though. During the campaign, you ran against the record of David Roberts. You said (I'm paraphrasing) that he had not provided leadership and was representative of what was wrong with Hoboken. Your endorsement of him just doesn't make any sense.
I do understand that democracies only work if people like you and me continue to bring our voice to the table and demand better. Walking away in a huff doesn't suit anyone. However, you can still bring your voice to the table without going against your principles.
Your endorsement for Roberts seems to go against everything I heard you say. If you chose not to endorse Carol Marsh, I can fully understand that. This is especially true if your fundamental values clash. However, in that case, it seems to me that it would have been more principled to simply say, "Faced with two bad choices, I choice to remain true to myself and endorse neither candidate."
To me, a person either stands on principle or they stand on soundbites and opportunism. Please explain how what you are doing is the first and not the second. If it is the first, then explain what changed after election day that changed Roberts from everything that is wrong with Hoboken into Hoboken's best hope for good government.
Thanks, and congratulations again,
XT
XT,
Haven't you ever said anything in the heat of passion?
Gotta to take a stand. At least we know what that stand is - sounds fair.
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