For anyone who is interested, this is the ballot that Becky and I will be voting on later today, as residents of Beverly, Massachusetts, Ward 2, Precinct 1.
Of the local candidates, we’ve received flyers at home from Mary Grant and Frank Cousins. I’m not sure that I’ve even heard of any of the other local candidates, and I definitely had no clue that there were two Questions on the ballot.
The Boston Globe has an Election 2004 section. The Globe has historically endorsed Democratic candidates, but their election page at least provides some information on local candidates and issues.
Update
I’ve collected some articles, reports, and letters regarding the various local candidates who are not running unopposed:
State Representatives for Beverly:
Mary Grant, responding to a questionaire in the Beverly Citizen.
Jack Murray, responding to the same questionaire.
Donato Paglia, again responding to the same questionaire.
Beverly Citizen Editorial: Mary Grant for state rep
Can’t find anything to link to on the Sheriff’s race, and the rest of the candidates are running unopposed. I guess that gives us less to focus on!
Update
Here’s the Project Vote Smart page for our locality.
Haven’t even heard of “COBB AND LaMARCHE”. Then again, we supposedly have someone named “Vermin Supreme” in North Carolina. Maybe there is some weeding-out process prior to the actual printing of the ballots.
Do they actually list the parties on the real ballots? Here, from what I recall, we just have names. I think. I could be wrong. We have a lot more parties though.
Michelle:
Yes, the parties are listed alongside the candidates’ names. I’d love to vote in a country like yours, where there were more than just two parties that had a chance at winning an election!
Chad:
Each state has to approve the candidates who will appear on their ballots… so if Cobb and LaMarche aren’t on your ballot, it’s because N.C. didn’t approve them.
I’m pretty sure that in order to get on the ballot in any state a candidate has to get a certain number of signatures on his/her petition. Nader is not on the MA ballot because he couldn’t get enough. Nader is not on the PA ballot because it was found that someone was forging names on the petition. (Or so I read a while ago). Anyone can always write in any candidate they wish. I’m considering voting for my dad. If he could fix the country as well as he fixes cars we’d be all set 🙂