Election: Total Voter Turnout Is Low

The March 7 defeat of Proposition E by the “No on E” campaign should not, by any stretch of the imagination, be construed as an overwhelming mandate against the advisory crime measure; nor, for that matter, should any of the electoral victories by the candidates themselves be regarded in the same light.

The awful truth of the matter is that win, lose or runoff, we all lost. We all lost because despite the importance of the issues and individuals, total voter turnout on March 7 did not exceed 20.7% of all the presumably legitimate registered voters. This abject level of apathy and physical and mental indolence is simply unacceptable to the democratic process of our representative republic at all levels.

During my several Assembly races, I was often fond of annoying my prospective constituents by reminding them that if they didn’t bother to vote, they got the government they richly deserved. Well, it looks like things haven’t changed much--again.

It is my fervent hope and prayer that all the eligible voters of the city of Redondo Beach make a permanent mental note of what really happened Tuesday night and that when the runoffs are held on May 16, the 79.3% that didn’t vote are stirred from their docile complacency to make that short trip to the polls to exercise their God-given constitutional birthright.

On a more positive note, I would like to extend my heartiest of congratulations to the Councilman-elect Michael Gin for his resounding 62.5% victory over the rest of us also-ran runners-up.

His victory should once again bear convincing testament to the efficacy of a well-planned, adequately financed and intelligently prosecuted campaign. The best of good luck to Mike and best wishes always to him during the next four years of his tenure as my city councilman.

See you in chambers.

WILLIAM N. GALLIARD

Redondo Beach