Dear Source,
When we go to the polls, we are allowed to vote for seven senators, right? Right, but what we may not realize is that if we take advantage of all seven votes and choose as many candidates as we can, we may actually be hurting the chances of the one or two candidates we really want in office.
By voting for one or two candidates, rather than a full slate of seven candidates, our votes will count more. It's called "bullet voting," and it works.
For example, let's say there are three people who want to see Senator Berry in office. All three cast one single vote, a bullet vote, for Senator Berry. Berry has three votes and every other candidate has zero. The winner is obvious.
If, however, these same three people choose seven candidates, simply because they want to use every vote they are allowed to have, the results shift. Now not only does Senator Berry have three votes, but so do Senators Cole, David, Davis, Dowe, Hill and White.
If another voter comes along and casts one vote (a bullet vote) for Senator Cole, Senator Cole wins the election. In a sense, by voting for seven candidates, the first three voters negated their votes for Senator Berry, whom they were actually trying to support.
The fact is, when it comes to voting for senators in the Virgin Islands, less counts more.
So when you go to the polls, don't feel like you need to use all seven votes. Use the bullet and vote only for the few candidates you really support, and get more bang for your vote.
Remember, the best voter is an informed one; for information on who is running for office in the fall 2004 elections, log onto www.stcroixsource.com, The St. Croix Source, and get a head start on your voting.
Alison Steir
St. Thomas
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