Yankton Democracy Marches On...

...though we could use a few more marchers!

The Yankton Press and Dakotan posts unofficial election results for yesterday's City Commission recall. And indeed, people were unhappy with the incumbents:



The Press & Dakotan offers full coverage this morning. No comment yet this morning from newyankton.info -- they're probably lamenting the death of democracy at the hands of... a democratic process.

The politically observant will probably look at that turnout -- 38% for a single-issue, off-season special election -- and say, "Dang, that's pretty good!" The Madville Times remains dismayed that more people don't get out to vote, whatever is on the ballot. Citizens should jump at any chance to have a say on what government at any level is doing. "The majority has spoken!" has a much nicer ring to it than "The majority of the minority has spoken!"

While newyankton.info's rhetoric about evil winning if good people sit back and do nothing goes a little far for one local recall election (casting your enemies as evil is not a good basis for practical political discourse), there is more room for evil -- or at least bad results, like the decline of representative democracy and civic engagement -- when three out of five people don't participate in the political process. Our elected officials sacrifice time all year long to go to meetings, study issues, and put their names on the line with their votes. Democracy asks us regular citizens for much less: read a bit, talk to our neighbors, keep an eye on what's going on, and drop by the polls once or twice a year to spend five minutes making check marks. Pretty small price to pay for government done right.

See you at the polls in June!