Election 2010

Last night while watching the results roll in, I sure was biting my nails on a couple of issues. In fact, there was one in particular that nearly every time 5-6 new precincts reported, it flipped back and forth. I'm used to most things being decided by 9PM, not midnight.

Anywho, I'm doing this post as a recap of the results of yesterday's elections, good and bad. Then, I'm taking a 2-3 week vacation. I find legal research to be a great pastime, but when you're doing that stuff 7 days a week for 3 months straight you feel it as your brain starts to rot. I'll probably make a post or two in the mean time, but right now the plan is to take a break.

These results will be updated through out the night. The winner will be reported in BOLD RED letters. The local results are specific to Washita, Custer, and Beckham Counties.

I enjoyed watching this. I'm sure you will, too.

From Oklahomans for Responsible Government:

According to the database at the Oklahoma County Election Board, [Campaign Manager] Michael Kolenc registered to vote on October 11, three days AFTER the deadline to register for tomorrow’s election. Ethics Commission reports show he’s had an Oklahoma City address since February when he started getting paid as a consultant, yet he apparently didn’t care enough about Oklahoma to register to vote to make his voice heard in the primaries or the General Election! Yes on 744 has two other carpet-baggers as consultants, spokesman Walton Robinson and Matt Nappe. Robinson started getting paid in March and registered to vote on September 5th. Nappe came on board in July and registered on October 6th, two days before the deadline.

Just a reminder to voters in Oklahoma who don't have the chance to participate in early voting:

TAKE NOTES WITH YOU TO THE POLLS

As long as you don't share them with others, there is nothing illegal about it. In fact, Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax encourages it, especially with how many state questions we have on the ballot.

There are 11 State Questions, 8 Executive offices, your Congressman, Senator Coburn's seat, many State House seats, many State Senate seats, many other local races, etc.

So please, for the sake of all your friends waiting in line with you, take some notes so you can expedite the process. The more you know ahead of time, the faster you can get in and out.

Montana has a ballot initiative to cap "non-traditional" loans at 36%. John Koppisch at Forbes has an excellent article about the negative effects this will have. From the article:

Proponents portray the proposal as pro-consumer because rates would be capped at 36%. To the layman, 400% a year sounds very high, but borrowers typically repay their loans in a few days or weeks, so they never pay all of that interest. On a $100 loan, these lenders might collect $15. But limit that interest to 36% and the lender picks up $1.38. “Ask yourself, would you make an unsecured $100 loan to a stranger for $1.38?” as the argument against the initiative puts it in the official voting guide.

Jamison Faught over at Muskogee Politico made an interesting post yesterday with graphics showing how low Oklahoma ranks in budget size compared to the regional average. I want to expand on it a little.

On a per capita scale, Oklahoma has a budget of $1925.65 per year. (Populations based of of July 2009 Census Bureau estimates.)

Colorado: $3661.88
New Mexico: $7314.63
Texas: $3389.52
Arkansas: $1488.17
Missouri: $3741.08
Kansas: $4789.36.

That gives us a regional average state budget per capita of $4064.11. That means that Oklahoma's budget per capita is less than half of the average of our surrounding states. So does that mean that our taxes need to double?

I've already told you how I am voting on the 11 State Questions on the ballot, so I won't reiterate them here. This is how I plan to vote for the statewide offices on the ballot on November 2nd.

Governor - Mary Fallin (R)

This is definitely a tough choice and truly a choice between two evils. In this case, I see Fallin as the lesser of the two. While Fallin hasn't been all that upfront about her positions, Askins has been rather cryptic when it comes to the important ones. My gut also tells me that Askins is reminding me a bit too much of Brad Henry.

Lieutenant Governor - Richard Prawdzienski (I)

Some of you might have expected this pick. It should be pretty obvious to most that I would stray from the standard Democrat vs. Republican rhetoric and support a third-party candidate.

My prediction for change in Congress is that Republicans will pick up 64 seats in the House and 8 seats in the Senate. One of those 8 seats in the Senate is that of Harry Reid's.

What we will have then is a 49-49-2 split in the Senate. The two Independents will likely caucus with the Democrats, resulting in a Democratic majority. That will mean that either Chuck Schumer or Dick Durbin will be the Senate Majority Leader, and they make Reid look conservative.

This is why I support Reid over Sharron Angle in that race, even though I'm not really fond of him. Reid is a form of insurance.

If the Republicans want a majority, they need to pick up 10 seats in the Senate, and I just don't see that happening. Even if they picked up 9 seats, Vice President Joe Biden's tie-breaking vote would still mean a Democratic majority.

Jari Askins and Mary Fallin will have their first "presidential-style" debate tonight. It will be moderated by Linda Cavanaugh and air live on KTOK 1000AM at 7PM and on KFOR News Channel 4 at 9PM.

The debate is not open to the public.

For those unfamiliar with what a presidential-style debate is, it means that the questions have been screened and approved by the candidates and that there is no room for actual debating.