Out of Bullets

The concept of bullet voting isn't a new one.

In the at-large race, voters have the right to vote for up to five of the eight candidates. But they don't need to vote for all five. In the eyes of the bullet-minded folks, votes should only be cast for those candidates whose philosophies come closest to matching their own. They'll opt to vote for one, two or three candidates rather than all five.

I don't really have an issue with bullet voters. It's their ballot and they can use it as they see fit.

But - and perhaps this is unfair of inconsistent of me - I do have a problem with candidates who encourage people to bullet vote. I just find something distasteful about a political candidate using their stump, or political mailings, to discourage people to vote in any way.

Yet, that's what's going on. Former Mayor and City Councillor Al Lavender posted this item in the paper earlier this week. I've been told by a few people that the Newburyport Republican Committee is encouraging people to use only one or two of their votes in the upcoming, presumably to support only their candidates in this race.

I'm disappointed to see a partisan rift forming at the local level, and a bit surprised that political candidates would assign their names to the such divisive tactics.

As luck would have it, I'd already ruled out voting for one of the candidates based upon his stances on the waterfront and local historic district. But I had every intention to vote for the other - until now.

See what happens when you play with bullets?