It's unconscionable. Only 14 percent of registered voters showed up to the polls.
That's it.
Compared to the national average for voter turnout, it's absolutely deplorable.
Yes, this is an off-year and not a large presidential election. However, people don't seem to grasp that their votes in local elections directly determine what candidates are elected and what policies are passed.
Across the country, other local elections ended with many surprises and important issues settled.
• Just west of East Lansing, Virg Bernero showed a bit of his arrogant side when he declared victory with 15 percent of the precincts reporting and a 20-point lead. His cocky attitude wasn't unfounded: He was indeed elected mayor. He should prove to be a better mayor than incumbent Tony Benavides, but the mayor-elect should remember — arrogance can ruin politicians.
• In another mayoral election, this time in Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick was re-elected, somewhat surprisingly. It really says something when Detroit's mayoral election makes the front page of The New York Times Web site. The FBI, however, is investigating absentee ballots.
• And why is Detroit on the Times Web site when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg did indeed hang on and win a second term? Democrats are on the rise elsewhere, but apparently not in the Big Apple, which has locked the party out of City Hall for four straight terms.
• In Hillsdale, Mich., 18-year-old Michael Sessions was elected mayor by a write-in campaign, showing students can win in politics. The high school student won by a tally of 732 to 668 over incumbent Doug Ingles.
• In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was dealt a blow when all four of his special ballot initiatives were defeated despite one of the most costly ballot campaigns in the state's history.
• In Texas, same-sex unions were banned through a new constitutional amendment. Considering Texas didn't previously permit same-sex unions, the amendment was used as a guard against the evil "activist judges" who might otherwise force Texas to accept everyone equally.
• In Dover, Penn., the entire school board was overturned after considering adding the concept of intelligent design to the school district's curriculum.
East Lansing residents must realize how important off-year elections can be. Perhaps next year's midterm elections will attract more voters.
Too bad it wasn't the case this year.
