October 9, 2020
Dear Everyone:
Yesterday was
Election Day as far as I’m concerned.
Like all the Registered Voters in California, I received my
official Ballot about a week ago.
We could opt to fill out the ballot and drop it in the mail (no
postage required); or drop it in an official ballot drop box; or go to a
polling location to vote early.
Personally, I’ve been
voting by mail for years, maybe even decades.
It started one year when I knew I would be out of town on a
business trip and consequently requested an Absentee Ballot.
What a revelation!
No stumbling around in the dark, searching for some obscure
address. No standing in the
rain, waiting in line near someone’s garage for your turn.
I filled out the ballot in the comfort of my own living room and
dropped it in the mail the next day.
The next year, I
applied for an Absentee Ballot even though I knew I wasn’t going to be
“absent”. And I kept
requesting an Absentee Ballot until I received a notice in the mail that
the people in charge of voting (that would be the California Secretary
of State’s office) had decided that I should automatically be sent an
Absentee Ballot until I told them otherwise.
And so it goes.
The Presidential
Election was a foregone conclusion, of course.
As for the Ballot
Propositions, 14 through 25 this year…
Once upon a time someone thought it would be a Good Idea if the
Citizens of California could vote on something that the Legislature
seemed determined to ignore.
Anyone could submit an “Initiative” provided they could get somewhere
around 5-8% of the state’s registered voters to sign a petition.
The exact percentage depended on the type of Initiative; but
getting anywhere near 5% of the total voting population to apply their
signatures to a petition seemed likely to assure that only the most
important measures would make their way onto the Ballots.
But then some
Enterprising Individual figured out that they could pay someone to stand
outside the supermarkets and collect signatures.
That turned into a thriving industry.
And that’s why we have an even dozen Ballot Measures this year
alone.
Companies like Uber
and Lyft are trying to circumvent a law that makes them treat drivers
who work more than a certain number of hours each week as employees.
Insurance companies are trying to avoid paying for certain
medical procedures. And the
usual attempts to skirt rent control.
Which is why my
standard vote on all Propositions is “No”.
If they want to change the Legislation, they can buy their
politicians the old-fashioned way.
That just leaves the
local election to worry about.
The current Mayor of San Ramon has chosen not to run again, so
the position is wide open.
And no less than six (6!) volunteers are vying for the honor.
They are (in alphabetic order):
Dinesh Govindarao
David E. "Dave"
Hudson
Aparna Madireddi
Susmita Nayak
Sanat Sethy
Sabina Zafar
My goodness!
Having served on the Board of my Homeowners Association, I’m
aware that it can be a total pain in the neck.
I’m very impressed that so many people are willing to take on the
challenge of being Mayor of a not-very-big city of about 76,000 souls.
In point of fact, San
Ramon has just about doubled in size in the last 20 years.
And, as you can judge from the names, less than half the
population is what might be considered “white”.
This, in my opinion,
only shows how very much enriched the local culture has become.
Many of these people came to work at very high-level jobs in
Silicon Valley to the south; but they chose to live and raise their
families here in San Ramon, submitting to a harrowing commute each day.
A couple of years
ago, I happened to attend a City Council Meeting at the beginning of
which some prizes were awarded to Middle School children who had
participated in some kind of academic contest.
Clearly, the bar had been raised for all of the kids in San
Ramon, regardless of skin tones. And that, needless to say, is good for
everyone.
Thanks to the
Internet, and the City Website, I was able to obtain sufficient
information about each candidate.
I noted qualifications, enthusiasm and experience and made my
selection accordingly. Ditto
the four applicants for the City Council, which is now divided into
three districts.
San Ramon is actually
named after a person who managed the many flocks of sheep that used to
graze in and around the valley.
Imagine what he would say if he could see that little town,
incorporated only about 40 years ago, now so large that it has to have
Districts!
Having made my
choices, I filled out the four-page Ballot, sealed it inside the Special
Envelope and signed the outside of the envelope.
Then I drove down the hill to City Hall, which is actually closer
to my place than the Post Office.
And I dropped my completed Ballot in the Drop Box.
Done! Finished!
Until next time.
Love, as always,
Pete
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