Politics
Write-in votes, why not, residents of Alden and Lancaster ask?
By Lee Chowaniec
Oct 23, 2007, 21:26

Dissatisfaction with endorsed candidates and discontent with the absence of political choice, residents in Alden and Lancaster are encouraging voters to cast write-in ballots.

Lifelong Alden resident Michele Hoffmann has decided to run for an Alden Town Board seat as a write-in candidate. The former Alden School Board Member is currently an active member of Alden Historical Society and the Alden Residents for Responsible Growth (ARRG) coalition that opposed the building of a Wal-Mart in her unique community.

Hoffmann declares that she was raised with a sense of community and will fight to keep Alden’s “small town” atmosphere that enjoys great schools, caring residents and overall great quality of life.

“We don’t need to become a “cookie cutter” community,” says Hoffman. Towns like ours are on the outer ring of development and are becoming endangered due to unplanned growth.”

Hoffman declares she is not anti-growth, but would like to see a “big-box law passed to limit store size. “We should work on revitalizing the businesses we already have in town. For every dollar spent in theses stores, 45 cents goes back into the community.

“I would like to see a Right-to-Farm Law passed in Alden like so many surrounding communities have done,” says Hoffman. “Western New York has lost 28% of its farmland since 1969. In 1950, New York State had 375,000 farms. Now, there are 37,000. Farmland is the cheapest property in town because they don't require many services.”

“In Clarence, for every $1.00 collected in tax revenue, $1.24 is spent in services provided. Let's learn from other towns’ mistakes. We need to preserve our open spaces, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas. After all, that's why we all live here.”

Lancaster write-in protest vote

Foot Fungus (FF), Speakupwny message board writer and several supporters have been writing to encourage Lancaster residents to cast write-in ballots as well. The “Henry Henslow Sparrow” campaign was borne out of discount that there are no real political challenges and obvious discontent by residents who believe the town is not being run in the best interests of the residents.

Asked whether he thought the idea of voting for birds would be considered silly by others and at best meaningless, FF responds that it is no more silly than voting for incumbents that have no real opposition. “The Dem’s are in power and the only votes they will receive will be from the friends, family and lackeys.

Dissatisfied and disfranchised voters have to get off their apathetic butts and voice their opinion through a write-in ballot.

“Why birds,” FF was asked?

Because they symbolize the Henslow Sparrows, a rare species that nest in the Summerfield Farms development and actually halted development (a rarity) in a town that has an open door policy that favors the developer.

In his posts, FF makes the following points:

In reading the Speakupwny message boards, attending town board meetings and in general conversation with others, it becomes obvious that the town has not addressed issues in a timely manner, or not at all,” declares FF. “Whether it's taxes, development, infrastructure, schools, traffic, water pressure, etc., people are starting to speak up.

Unfortunately, the people that run the local political parties in Lancaster (and other areas) have taken away any opportunity for the citizens to make any kind of change possible.

Over the years, the Republican Party has gone completely awry, with some defecting to the Democrat's power structure and others just becoming disinterested as their party dissolved, basically rendering them moot.

The Democrats take away the opportunity for change by stifling primary challenges of the incumbents, to which the result was witnessed in the race between Montour and Bumbalo for the Republican Party line on the ballot.

Maybe that's good for them, no change, status quo, nothing changes; power does not shift unless it's internally.
The Independence party has been infiltrated by the other parties, endorsing their candidates as if to fool anyone looking at an Independence line as a line of change.

They think they are fooling you.

In my eyes it's hard to tell which party is which anymore. What makes this country great is that WE have the right to have OUR own opinions, debate OUR views, ask questions of those that will govern. That's not happening folks, and it's time to take back the system and return it to the people.

Since they have taken away your choice, make your own. And that's the simple premise of the H. Henslow Sparrow campaign. We do have the right to vote for a candidate of our choosing, and we can write it in.

Concerning the H. Henslow Sparrow write-in campaign, this needs to be made clear from the get go:

IT"S NOT ABOUT A PARTY.
IT"S NOT ABOUT A CANDIDATE.
IT"S NOT ABOUT CONSERVATIVE.
IT"S NOT ABOUT LIBERAL.
IT"S NOT ABOUT CREATING A NEW POWER STRUCTURE.

IT IS ABOUT SENDING A MESSAGE.

It's about your right to voice your opinion in the voting booth when they try to silence your voice by running candidates unopposed. If you're tired of the status quo government in this town, make your voice heard by using a write-in ballot.

To any of you belonging to a particular party who think that a write-in vote will remove anyone from office, it won't in this case. The two council positions are running unopposed. They're actually real people who can serve, a bird cannot. If Mr. Sparrow and his ticket were to win, the sitting incumbents would be there anyway.

So, there ya' go, the H. Henslow Sparrow write-in campaign begins. It is simply a protest vote. It lives and dies with you. Reclaim the system, it's yours, they have just borrowed it and they don't want to give it back.

H. Henslow Sparrow - for Lancaster Town Supervisor
Lou Cocophalus - for Lancaster Town Council
Dick Cissel - for Lancaster Town Council
Corina Strix - for Lancaster Town Justice

How to cast a write-in vote:
HHenslowSparrow



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