Member Comments

• I find it very difficult to learn anything useful about the candidates thru either their literature or the Suburban News type interviews. It is all so superficial: "I want to continue the excellence of UA" , what does that mean? I want to really know if they are
  • forward thinking or exclusionary;
  • will they promote censorship at the library;
  • if they have a vision for UA, what does it look like;
  • do they care about diversity;
  • does their "pro-business" stance mean WalMart or the little shop on the corner,
  • do they have knee jerk reactions to issues like sex-offender residence?"

Member Comments

• "Issues and position information will help me make an informed decision. I'm not too familiar with the issues in UA, so an explanation with a bit of history would be great."
• "I think some of the issues locally are different than nationally, so I would suggest that UAPA outline what they are pro/con locally so that voters can gauge their response to an endorsement by UAPA based on voter's own opinions & priorities. I guess my caution is that local politics becomes so personal & heated so quickly that broadcasting criteria would be helpful to voters."
• "Giving facts on candidates is a must. I would like your endorsement of candidates. If we do not concur, that is our privilege and we know that. Our vote is our business, but your view is very important. Keep up the good work."
• "Non partisan??? Tell Mr. Rankin that. I feel that UAPA should be a conduit of info on all aspects of all the candidates...perhaps even to the point of endorsement. Many UA residents don't have the ability or opportunity to know candidates actual backgrounds or positions, just the sanitized media sound bites. (ie: Mr. Y's participation in the anti Bruner campaign)"
• "I can make a case for UAPA merely providing info. On the other hand, I would like to know who are the Rankin faction so I can vote against them!"
• "endorsing candidates will only serve to polarize the community further ... although this is a close call for me, simply vetting candidates and providing opinions will go a long way..."
• "Unfortunately, I'm not sure a UAPA endorsement will help as much as getting the facts out there! Some people can't stand UAPA but probably agree with everything that is important to us."
• "Help the voters choose the right candidates like the league of women voters, UAPA could draft a statement on where the candidates stand on the issues, maybe with a little more subjectivity and bias, but making the point that these candidates have strong opinions that will impact our community"
• "There is a real lack of solid information concerning all points of view about an issue on which to make good decisions; if UAPA can help fill that gap, they are going to win friends and influence people. Endorsing candidates leads to too much, pardon my French, ass-kissing and delusions of grandeur in this type of organization. I'm afraid it would be the end of UAPA."
• "I think the difficulty for most residents is that these candidates often (intentionally) put very general ideals that are easy to get behind. Essentially this makes people more likely to vote for the person they sort of have a connection to instead of voting for the person most in line with their desires."
• "UAPA should make sure all members, and as many others as possible, know exactly who Tim Rankin supports. He is a 'nut case' and we sure don't need any more like him on City Council. Also, to the extent possible, UAPA should surface and give visibilty to the personal gain motives that candidates have for trying to get on City Council. For example .... are any of them married to indivduals involved in real estate sales, construction, etc, which enables profiting from business being directed by the City Council and other city officials to that sector??"
• "I believe for an organization to have any affect at the state or national level, it must have a strong presence locally."

Member Comments

• I'm encouraged when I see yard signs that agree with my views, since I usually feel that my neighbors are all Republicans with different priorities and goals.
• I only put up a yard sign if I know I will vote for the candidate.
• I think they are influential to many, I just try to stay current so I know the folks behind the signs.
• I look to see what signs are in my neighbors yards who I know are very conservative, then I make sure I don't vote for that person.
• If I didn't know that an issue was up for vote, it might help, but it is not going to help formulate my opinion.
• I understand the need for the levy- the yard signs don't factor into my decision but I would be happy to display one.
• I put out signs but anyone who would vote on that basis has to be a moron, but i do think it's helpfull to see other progressives are out there.
• Yard signs and lots of them are especially important during the time that folks start paying attention to elections and voting. I may be wrong, but think they lose their impact when posted in yards for prolonged periods of time.
• I didn't know who was running until I saw signs that caught my attention. At least it gets the unknown candidate's name out there.
• I put yard signs in my yard but I do so much research about candidates and policy that the signs aren't necessary for me but I believe they have an effect on people less involved than myself.
• If I see a sign in a friend's yard I am likely to tlak to them about their support of a candidate.
• If i see a lot of signs for a particular candidate, it makes me more curious to find out what they are about and how they would vote in council.
• I usually don't pay attention to yard signs re' candidates, but more so to them re' issues.
• I say no but the constant barage of certain candidate' signs may take a toll - positive or negative.
• Yard signs are generally polemic -- Yes or No. They do not provide sufficient information about the particulars of an issue. They do show which neighbors support which sides of issues or what candidates they support but that is all.
• To me, they are just an identification of the home-owner's interests. The UA for Kerry yard sign, though, made a big difference in my life.
• Information influences my vote. Yard signs are very irritating. They are unsightly and pollute our environment. I would much rather have a summary of each candidate's background and positions on the issues in an easily accessed format. If a particular candidate will not cooperate in providing information for this purpose, I won't vote for that candidate.
• I am not affected, but I think others are. The more signs gives the impression that people care about the election and that a particular candidate has lots of support.
• I would like to hear some reliable information on their effectiveness. The only use they have for me is to call attention to some issue which has not yet hit a button for me. As to candidates, it is sort of interesting to learn which neighbors support who, but I do not think this influences my vote.
• They are useful only if I know the politics of the homeowner, which is usually not the case.
• Knowing some of my neighbors and seeing their yard signs, I can figure out who to avoid voting for.
• If in the yards of people I know and respect they can influence, otherwise no.
• They can raise my awareness of issues, but they do not impact how I vote
• If I see many signs, then I am more apt to seek information about the candidate.
• I'm more concerned about who is going to remove them (especially the ones on public property e.g. Henderson south of Reed). For some people who are totally unaware of candidates, I suppose the signs would give them name recognition when they get to the voting machine. It wouldn't persuade me either way.
• They don't influence me but I think they are a way for people to have a voice.
• I view yard signs like billboards; pollution of the environment. They do not tell us anything about the candidates or issues.
• Only influence is that they may drive me to learn more about an issue or candidate that I don't know about-- would never vote based on a sign alone
• I don't want to be influenced by the sheer number of signs I see. I want to know more before I vote.
• Yard signs can be a double edged sword. For those who are like minded in the neighborhood (and remember the history of signage in an individuals yard) signs could help others know who the more progressive candidates are. For those who aren't in agreement...read republicans...it could be a situation of "I'll vote for anyone but who they want".
• As with any communication, frequency is extremely important from awareness to decision making. Not having any yard signs I believe could potentially doom a candidate or issue.
• They junk up our community. Having said that I currently have a Seidel & UA School signs in my yard, and in the past have ones for Gov. Strickland, Senator Kerry, Ted Celeste etc.
• If I know the people whose yards the signs are in. it also helps to alert me to a close election, although the number of signs alone does not sway my vote.
• I do think that the cumulative effect of a lot of yard signs stirs up interest in the election. But this must be accompanied by plenty of information on the candidates' positions and backqrounds so that people can make an informed choice.
  • 1. Clustering of signs or the homes on which they are placed provide clues to whether the candidates may share my views.
  • 2. I makes me feel good - like I'm helping the candidate whether its effective in that regard or not.
  • 3. Where many people are routinely poorly informed, getting lots of signs out early may sway voters based on name recognition only.
  • 4.On issues (like the school levy) there might be group physchology in effect that says "if all my neighbors are for this, it must be the right thing to do" (You know, all the Cool kids are doing it!)
• Sometimes yard signs set neighbors against one another.
• I always have some yard signs anyway to support my favored candidates.
• No space earlier: Just say no question is unclear. Are you saying the candidates are naysayers, or are they? I don't believe any candidate has stated that position. Some ARE willing to look at spending in a reasoned manner--which is my approach. To categorize sound fiscal practices as "Just say no" seems misleading question.
• That's what UA has become. The issues are avoided.
• anti-war and camp akita signs have an influence over me
• I like putting them out for myself, as a kind of "I'm standing for something," but jeez, people steal them, and on my street, they even slashed my neighbors' signs which supported ending the war. So much for free speech.