Sunday, November 18, 2012
The move, which is gathering steam, is being done in the wake of President Obama's re-election.
Residents of Georgia and more than a dozen other states have filed petitions to secede from the United States, according to media reports. Residents of Alabama, New York, Michigan, Texas and other states have filed the petitions under the "We The People" program, featured on the White House website, according to the Huffington Post. The Georgia petition, which already has more than 4,000 signatures, reads in part: "...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government..." The petitions come in the wake of President Obama winning a second …
Friday, November 9, 2012
Pinecrest Academy students in kindergarten through fifth grade got a real taste of democracy when they participated in a mock presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Share your thoughts on the matter in our Question of the Week comment section below.
Months of campaigning, complaining and one-upping have lead us to this week during which we choose a President to carry us through the next four years. But, some have questioned the ability of either side to clean up what's been deemed "a mess." What do you think? Are the issues more likely to be resolved by one party or the other? Will the American people fair better over the next four years because of this election?
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Do you know where you should go to cast your vote in Forsyth County? Here's how to find out.
Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, is here, but do you know how to find your polling place in Forsyth County? The "My Voter Page" on the Georgia Secretary of State's website provides a portal that will not only tell you where to go to cast your ballot and when the polls are open (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), but a link to directions to your polling place, and links to which local, state and national candidates are up for election in your district as well as a sample ballot (see the PDF file to the right or click here). Once you go to the page, follow the prompts to enter your first initial, last name, county and birthday, and then hit submit. During the year, you can also use the same portal to change your address, request an absentee ballot and check …
Charter school amendment appears headed for win.
UPATE 5:50 pm If you are in line to vote at 7 pm, you will get to vote even though the polls close then. Tens of thousands of Fulton County voters have already cast ballots today. Turnout is especially high for today’s General Election, as it is in most Presidential election years. It's too early to know how this year compares to 2008. In the evening after traditional work hours, peak turnout is anticipated, and tens of thousands of additional voters could exercise their right to vote. Fulton County elections officials released a statement advising that voters who are in line at 7 pm will be allowed to vote under Georgia law. As provided by Georgia law, voters who are over age 75 or who have a disability are eligible to ask to move ahead …
Monday, November 5, 2012
For Duane Piper the challenge is winning another election so soon after the Repubican Primary. For Write-in candidate DT Smith the challenge is having voters write-in his name instead of just tapping the screen.
With just a few days left before the election, the two candidates for Forsyth County Sheriff expressed confidence in the outcome. Former Sheriff's Lt. Duane Piper, who defeated three-term incumbent Ted Paxton in the Republican Primary, said, "I'm very confident. We've run a well-planned, well-executed campaign." Piper began building his campaign team a year ago. "I believe the voters are looking for a sheriff who is forward-thinking and plans ahead, not one who gets into the race in the final hour as a write-in candidate." As challengers often do, Piper received a significant number of anti-incumbent votes during the primary. A key question is will those voters vote for him again now that Paxton is no longer the opponent. Asked about …
This online free quiz takes an in-depth look at your stance on a range of issues, then compares them to candidates' responses.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Thanks to the Electoral College, every presidential election comes down to the candidates' performance in a handful of states. Should that system be abolished in favor of direct election by popular vote?
As Election Day draws nearer, many polls show President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney running neck-and-neck nationally -- but a decided, if slight, advantage for Obama in the electoral vote. Each state gets a certain number of electoral votes, based upon its population. In order to win the presidency, either Obama or Romney must win at least 270 of the 538 total electoral votes. The system has the effect of making your vote count a lot more in "swing states" -- states where the majority could conceivably vote for either candidate -- than in other, more politically predictable states. It is a virtual certainty, for instance, that Georgia will vote for Mitt Romney, so an individual Georgian's vote for Barack Obama doesn't mean a …
Friday, October 26, 2012
Early voting is available Saturday for Forsyth County residents, plus advance voting begins Monday.
If you are a Forsyth County registered voter and have yet to cast your ballot in the Nov. 6 General Primary, you still can this weekend. Saturday voting will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following locations in downtown Cumming: Barbara Luth, supervisor of the Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections Department, says they expect a good turnout. "I'm sure we will have a lot of people coming tomorrow," she said. For all in-person voting, voters should remember to bring one of the six acceptable forms of photo identification: Luth said early voting totals are looking good. As of Wednesday, Oct. 24, the Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections Department reports: During Friday's lunch hour voters had to wait in lines …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Proponents and opponents of the state charter school amendment debate its merits.
Supporters and opponents of Georgia's charter school amendment, on the ballot this November, pleaded their cases at a voter info forum held at nearby Johns Creek High School on Tuesday evening. Amendment 1, or HR 1162, would give a state-appointed commission authority to authorize and fund state charter schools if voters approve the legislation, or vote "Yes," on Nov. 6. Supporters of the amendment say it creates another avenue for charter start-ups; charter applicants have more flexibility on where to locate; and parents will have more local control. Opponents of the legislation say it creates another level of bureaucracy; state charter students would get more funding than students in traditional or local charter schools; and parents …
Jack Gleason
9:39 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
"Lunatic Fringe" is a phrase well-describing of those whom would now rather secede than participate in Our Nations governmental processes...who'd rather continue throwing-sticks into the spokes of Obamas Presidency for their chronic malcontent of Its success at legitimate polls than move-forward the day AFTER conclusion of the election by working TOGETHER toward finding balanced solutions to … more ›