By Steve Hunley

The City of Knoxville elections are pathetic.  Despite the thousands of dollars in spending a fraction of the eligible voters are coming out to vote.  As of this writing, over 6,000 people have voted early and by absentee ballot.  My goodness, there are so few city voters interested in the election it’s embarrassing.  The reason is the city holds off-year/non-partisan elections.

Mike McMillan, 8th DIstrict board of education member, got 7,700 votes one year in a single district and that will likely be almost as many as all the votes cast for the combined candidates for city council.  That doesn’t say much for City of Knoxville elections.  There’s nobody with a functioning brain who will seriously contend having the City elections held at the same time as along county and state elections would dramatically increase the turnout and participation.  It is unquestionably true.  But the special interests inside the City of Knoxville like it just the way it is.

Elections in which nobody shows up to vote are still as expensive to run as those in which voters turn out in record numbers.  Poll workers still must be paid, rent paid for early voting locations and all the other costs associated with having an election.  The difference is the conspicuous absence of the voters. It will be interesting to calculate the cost per vote when this year’s city elections are over.

For those with an agenda, scarce participation by voters is a big advantage.  You see, elections in which few people vote, are much easier to influence.  That is one reason special interest groups love such elections.

Can the elected officials in the City of Knoxville even claim to have a mandate when only 10% of the eligible voters come out to vote?  Knoxville has surpassed Chicago, at least on a per capita basis, for murders and according to neighborhood blogs, thefts are occurring in broad daylight constantly.  Yet the council incumbents say Knoxville is better managed than it has been in decades.  If that is true, Indya and her council won’t seek to raise city dwellers’ property taxes next year, but I would bet they surely will.

Here is the pitiful truth, and I am not advocating either one, but we had better turn out in an election when Tennessee still had a poll tax – – – meaning voters had to pay a tax to be eligible to vote – – – and there was a global war being fought.

And while we’re talking about it, here are a few things you need to keep in mind the next time you hear some Leftist looney caterwaul about photo IDs and voter suppression.  Here are some things you need a photo ID for:

1.) Purchasing alcohol

2.) Buying cigarettes

3.) Applying for food stamps

4.) Applying for welfare

5.) Applying for Medicare

6.) Applying for Social Security

7.) Applying for unemployment benefits

8.) Applying for a job

9.) Renting a home or apartment

10.) Applying for a mortgage

11.) Getting married

12.) Getting a driver’s license

13.) Renting a car

14.) Buying a car

15.) Purchasing a gun

16.) Adopting a pet

17.) Applying for a fishing license

18.) Buying a cell phone

19.) Picking up a prescription

20.) Holding a rally or protest

Just think about it.