Just taking a few moments from what I really should be doing with the Huntwyck maps to give a quick civics lesson.

Kids: remind your parents to vote. Vote yourself, once you get registered. Repeat every November, or don't ever complain about your elected officials.

Saturday, September 30, there is a special election in Louisiana. Filling the Secreteary of State and Commissioner of Insurance (a notorious position in the state government: 3 of the last 4 have served or are serving jail sentences for fraud), and 13 constitutional amendments. Today, I voted absentee, er..."participated in Early Voting".

Why? I will be home that weekend, and I'm sure not going to drive a 450 mile round trip just to vote on some amendments.

Some quick facts: Louisiana is notorious for amending its state constitution. The Constitution drafted in 1921 was amended more than 600 times before the entire document was scrapped in favor of a new, fresh constitution in 1974. Since then, approximately 200 amendments have been proposed. Voter turnout for amendments has been as high as 55.2% and as low as 18.7%.

18.7%

That means 10% of the registered voters (not the entire voting-age population) determined the course the state's constitution would take, until another amendment (if one did come up) addressed it.

1 person decided for 9 others.

Do you want to be the 1 or one of the 9?

Vote. Or don't complain when the election doesn't go the way you want it to.

-KIE

P.S. GN and/or Tomiku and/or Makutaman654 and/or Lady K: What do you and/or your parents say about the amendments? I voted 6 yes, 6 no, and left #4 alone.