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Columbus League of Pissed Off Voters Release Endorsement Slate for May 3 Primary
by Pissed Off Voters
April 24, 2005

Fresh from their work on the electoral justice hearings and investigation, the Columbus League of Pissed Off Voters took a step back to evaluate their recent work, set new goals, self-educate, and move forward with strategic intention.

Some members met in March with community mentors and advisors to do a Power Analysis exercise; they mapped out local decision-makers, key policy issues, organized and unorganized constituencies. A representative of the group said they were proud and honored to have worked recently with local mentors like Bob Fitrakis, Charles Traylor, US Congressional candidate Mark Brown, and Chip Livisay.

The group also started a local book circle discussion group, whose first selections were No More Prisons; Getting Around Brown: Desegregation, Development, and Columbus Public Schools; and What’s the Matter with Kansas. The local focus of Getting Around Brown primed the group for their current project: Columbus School Board and City Council May 3 primary election endorsements.

Since February, the Columbus League has been developing and implementing a standardized process for making candidate endorsements in these races. Questionnaires were sent to all candidates running for City Council and School Board and the group asked candidates to explain their positions on a wide range of issues and policies from the “Win-Win" Agreement to the recent Innovative Schools Task Force Recommendations to Farm-to-School lunch programs; from Tax Abatements to Public Access TV to Community Policing. The questionnaires are available for download in their entirety at www.columbusindyvoter.org.

Candidate responses were due March 22- five (of the seven) school board candidates submitted answers; and four (of the eight) City Council candidates responded. Their responses were evaluated by a four-person screening committee who judged answers by criteria including knowledge of issue and relevant power structures, experience, rhetoric, and commitment to community involvement and input. Individual questions were weighted by importance to the League Pissed Off Voters’ membership, as determined by an online poll conducted during the last week of March.

Based on their scores for individual questions, candidates were given an overall score from 0-100%, taking into account the weights on each question. Candidates who scored over 70% were eligible for, but not guaranteed, the group’s endorsement. Candidates who did not respond to the League of Pissed Off Voters’ questionnaire were not eligible for the group’s endorsement.

Voter guides & endorsement slates will be available for download by April 25 at www.columbusindyvoter.org Call 614-405-2160 to help distribute voter guides around town

IN BOX OR SIDEBAR IF ROOM:

VOTE! Pissed Off Voter Picks for May 3 Primaries

Columbus Board of Education:
Al Warner: LOPOV Score 75%
Imminently qualified, many years of service to the schools and community. Serves currently on the Innovative Schools Task Force and Equity Task Force. Very independent minded, endorsed by former Board President Dave Dobos.

Michael D. Wiles: LOPOV Score 80.76%
Has energy to burn and fresh principled ideas, also a good handle on the status quo. Plus, he supports community involvement and accountability.

W. Carlton Weddington: LOPOV Score 72.92%
He's a newbie without much experience or a sophisticated analysis about power, but he's so eager to work with us and hear us out on the issues. Active in the Democratic Party.

Columbus City Council: Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessy: LOPOV Score 76.94%
A mainstay in Columbus progressive politics. She's been a big supporter of getting better recycling (the new blue-bag pilot program). Endorsed by the Dems.

Eddie Pauline: LOPOV Score 77.5%
Fresh from the OSU Student Government Presidency, EP is young and, well, moderate. Pragmatic in his approach to the issues. Endorsed by the 'publicans, but don't let that stop you.

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