Letters to the Editor for Sunday, November 8, 2009

Writer: This was not democracy at work
The other night on the evening news we listened to Jerry Falwell Jr. say of this election, “That’s how democracy works. If people don’t like it, then that’s … sorry.”

Such arrogance! At least he had the sense to bite his own tongue and not say “then that’s too bad.”

The student voters at Liberty University, excused from classes for the day and bused by the university to the polling place to cast their votes for Scott Garrett, have completely usurped the will of the people of Lynchburg.

Del. Shannon Valentine was defeated by a margin far smaller than the number of votes cast by the Liberty voters; indeed she was ahead in the race and was expected to win until the votes from the precinct where the students vote were counted. Only then did the vote total turn to Garrett. One female Liberty student was interviewed on camera and admitted “I live in Delaware, but I’m voting here.”

When citizens who are not and never intend to be residents of a given community can be used by an institution in that community to usurp the will of the legitimate citizen residents … no Mr. Falwell, that is not “how democracy works.”

One of democracy’s greatest failings, and this event is a perfect illustration of that failing, is that democracy relies in part on the basic integrity of the citizenry not to abuse their rights in order to force their views on other citizens.

Men and women of integrity understand that each of us is charged to use our one vote to better our own community; not to cast that vote in a community other than that which we consider our home and for the sole purpose of putting into power the candidate who favors the institution which has encouraged us to do so. The institution who has so encouraged a voter to misuse his or her right to vote lacks any semblance of integrity, as do the students who allowed themselves to be so used. Liberty University and all who are or have ever been affiliated with it should be ashamed; the true citizens of the 23rd House District should be outraged!

LU is in essence an employer; they employee young people as students. How is it anything but a bastardization of the intent of the Founding Fathers when an employer in a community is able to use its employees to determine the outcome of local politics, not in the community those employees call home, but in the community where the employer has a vested interest?

No Mr. Falwell, that is not “how democracy works.” Shame on you, and shame on your students who have allowed themselves and their voting rights to be used to further your aims; used to usurp the rights of the true citizens of the community where they are simply employed.
LIB ELDER
Pamplin

Immature voting
The day after our recent election, I attended the electoral board canvas of voting results as a designated observer.

It was appropriate to observe this canvas because of the close results in the 23rd District House of Delegates race and the extended length of time it took to receive results from Heritage Elementary School precinct where a large number of students from Liberty University voted. When the result of these precinct votes were analyzed by the board during this canvass, it was noted that an unusually high number of “write in” votes were cast.

A review of these “write in” votes by the board indicated that most of these votes were cast for a variety of cartoon and religious characters. It should be noted here that the chief election official in each precinct is obligated to manually record each “write in” vote on appropriate summary forms before submitting results to the board on election night. The very large number of “write in” votes from this precinct required several pages of hand-written votes be prepared before the final precinct results could be submitted. The chairman of the electoral noted with some dismay the difficulties that frivolous write in voting such as this can cause.

The privilege of safe and secure voting we enjoy in this country require each voter to exercise their right to vote in a mature and responsible manner. The results of the election in this precinct with regard to write-in voting did not reflect the maturity we need in this community. This observation was made by observers representing both parties in this election.
BOB KNODEL
Lynchburg