Progress, indeed: "An organic effort by black millennials and Gen Z-ers to influence older family members against Mr. Biden."

The parody site still appears first.

Meanwhile the enduring mystery in New Albany pertains to the ruling Democratic Party's failure over a period of decades to empower the African-American community. There has been lots of platitudes and a few higher ranking political patronage positions, but no real commitment.

Would the situation improve under a Republican administration? Maybe, maybe not, although it couldn't possibly be any more cynical than it is now. After all, when we refer to them as the DemoDisneyDixiecratic Party, reality comes perilously close to negating the satire. 

Young Black Voters to Their Biden-Supporting Parents: ‘Is This Your King?’ by Astead W. Herndon (New York Times)

An organic effort by black millennials and Gen Z-ers to influence older family members against Mr. Biden may be important in the Democratic primary.

... But if (Biden) is to be overtaken by one of his more progressive rivals, the most powerful tool against him may not be opposition research or negative advertisements. Instead, it may be an organic effort by younger black voters — concerned about Mr. Biden’s age and more moderate ideology — to sway their older family members.

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Did you experience glitches while voting in the primary?

During the early voting period leading up to the May 7 primary election, and on election day itself, the Green Mouse heard several reports similar to this one.

Be very careful when you vote. My daughter and I voted Saturday. She had to watch closely, as her selection kept jumping to someone she did not want. It took her a few times to get her vote in correctly! DOUBLE CHECK YOUR SCREEN WHEN VOTING BEFORE HITTING PRINT, and verify that your vote on the print out is correct!

In other words, instances of the machines confirming a name on the screen and then printing the opponent's name. There also were reports of polling place workers feeding ballots into the hopper, not the voter. Rule of thumb is that workers are not allowed to handle the ballot or to view it.

Verily, the primary turned out to be a tad heated, as with the Election Board's earnest request that candidates go without signage at polling places -- and members of Gahan's beak-wetting coterie openly thumbing their noses at it with their chairman's brutal connivance.

Here at NA Confidential we've remained observant, and yet also circumspect. This owes in large measure to the logical likelihood that any such "jumping" glitches would affect all candidates equally. But it must be conceded that more than a few reports like the one above made the social media rounds beginning on May 8.

It is the Green Mouse's understanding that a citizen inquiry has been made, and the Election Board may be taking these reports into consideration; consequently, we'll pass this along and encourage any voter who experienced anything noteworthy to speak with the Secretary of State's office and tell them about it.

The number is 1-866-461-8683.

Gahan's eclipse: I got your haymaker, bumpkin dearest. You have the cash, but the math's with the resistance.

Perhaps the DemoDisneyDixiecrats opted to meet on election night at the Elks Lodge instead of the Knights of Columbus because a tepid crowd of appointees and beak wetters looks bigger in a small room.

Contrary to Team Gahan's labored claims that God herself intervened to prevent enemies from "rolling back" his addiction to TIF areas, a look at the numbers shows the Veneer King is steadily losing ground in spite of winning the primary.

Following are primary results from 2011, 2015 and 2019.

Total votes 3,713

2011: Total votes 3,713
2015: Total votes 3,349
2019: Total votes 3,058

In 2019, the supposedly all-powerful Gahan tallied a whopping 142 more primary votes than he did in 2011, and he hemorrhaged almost 300 voters as opposed to 2015.

Meanwhile almost three times more Republicans showed up to vote in the 2019 primary than in 2011: 1,028 versus 382. The overall electoral trend remains an erosion of voter identification with Democrats and a corresponding rise for Republicans.

The final general election scorecard in 2015 looked like this. Gahan lost approximately 12% of the vote from 2011.

Jeff M. Gahan (D) 3,527 (52.8%)
Kevin Zurschmiede (R) 2,695 (40.3%)
Roger Baylor (I) 462 (6.9%)

For his rematch in the 2019 primary David White felt it was necessary to conclusively establish the fundamental ethical corruption of Kool Aid Gahanism before extolling his own qualifications and platform.

Meanwhile Gahan spent the spring calibrating his fallacious "balanced budget, no new taxes" campaign against Mark Seabrook for the general election. The Democrats distributed enough loaded Rice Krispies Treats to glide through against White, but the point of Gahan's intrinsically crooked bile is no longer in doubt.

From where I'm sitting, few of White's supporters will vote for Gahan. They may sit out the general election, but it's reasonable to assume they'll go for Seabrook as a bloc. Combining the long-term trends of attrition with those 300 votes Gahan lost on Tuesday, his autumn ceiling probably is 3,000 votes -- and this isn't factoring the votes taken from the Democrats by Dan Coffey's probable independent candidacy.

In short, not only can Seabrook win in November, but he could also win convincingly. To be sure, Gahan will have $175,000 of special interest money and he'll be willing to spend every last cent of it to keep his signature pay-to-play gravy train rolling. 

But I think the math has turned against Dear Leader.

On primary evening at the Elks, our Bunker Elvis prattled on about the "haymakers" launched against him. Just remember that owing to the newspaper's slothful complicity and the partisan nature of primary elections, Bunker Elvis easily sidestepped debate and was allowed to avoid discussion of his myriad ethical lapses.

Let's close this rumination with another tune from the wonderful original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. Take it away, Murray Head.

Five post-primary thoughts in stream-of-consciousness format.

There'll be more as I try to catch up with my life.

Lots of fringe area residents wanted to vote, but couldn't because they live in the county, not the city -- but the city defines their terms of daily engagement. In truth, they wanted to vote against Jeff Gahan. I'm sure Squire Adam has duly taken note and will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to exclude them.

Democrats have little consistent grasp of usage. The word "Republican" can be used as an adjective or noun, but even a donkey should now that "Democrat" is a noun and "Democratic" an adjective. But still I hear self-described Democrats insisting they belong to the "Democrat" party. Maybe Susie can help you with that.

Jason Applegate scored more votes than Gahan, placing him in a good position to win a council at-large seat, probably at the expense of David Aebersold. Unfortunately he did so without revealing a single position on anything, apart from enthusiastically representing the ascendant "beautiful people" wing of the DemoDisneyDixecratic (not DemoDisneyDixiecrat) party.

David White may have lost, but he honored the Democratic (not Democrat) party's platform of supporting the little guy against big money. It was White's "People First" versus Gahan's "Luxury Beautiful Connected People First," and the latter won -- because for all his numbing stupidity, Gahan at least understands greed and knows where the real money lies.

For those who recall what newspapers used to be, and how they once participated in the electoral process, perhaps the biggest loser in the 2019 primary is the News and Tribune. It claims to identify with the community (but which one?), then provides scant to non-existent coverage of an election; when turnout scrapes rock bottom, can't it be said that the newspaper actually ignored the community and was complict in low voter turnout?

Gahan's soulless big money machine won, but that's only temporary. The resistance wil continue.

There are no exact guidelines. There are probably no guidelines at all. The only thing I can recommend at this stage is a sense of humor, an ability to see things in their ridiculous and absurd dimensions, to laugh at others and at ourselves, a sense of irony regarding everything that calls out for parody in this world.
-- Václav Havel

Yes, I'm disappointed that David White didn't come out on top against Deaf Gahan. So be it. Gahan won, White lost. Time to catch up on life, take a deep breath, drink a few beers and then resume throwing punches.

A message from David White.

"From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank all the citizens who participated in the greatest democracy on earth to let their voices be heard on May 7.

"I'm confident even in our loss that your voices were heard and I was humbled and honored to be your messenger.

"I want to congratulate Mayor Gahan and all my fellow Democrats who were victorious on May 7th and I wish them well.

"How can one lose something he had such passion and belief in, not for himself, but for others -- and yet wake up the next morning and be so blessed beyond what I deserve.

"I am hopeful at some point between now and November my fellow Democrats and fellow citizens will take a hard detailed look at my message of putting People First, and do just that.

"You are appreciated and I hope this finds you well."

Straight up and simple, it's David White versus Jeff Gahan in the debate Gahan refused to have.

First, the challenger. David White, people or politics?

Mayor Gahan, do you care to reply?

I think this says it all.

Early voting locations today and next Saturday. Let's #FlushTheClique and #FireGahan2019

EARLY VOTING SATURDAYS - April 27 and May 4, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Floyd County Clerk's Office
311 Hauss Square, Room 235

4-H Fairgrounds
2810 Green Valley Road

Sojourn Church
2023 Ekin Avenue

Floyd County Library
180 W. Spring Street

Silver Street Park
2043 Silver Street

Trinity United Methodist
2796 Charlestown Road

St. Mary’s Catholic Church
415 E. 8th Street

---

Democratic mayoral candidate David White understands that change begins with a whole lotta scrubbing, and NA Confidential advocates just such a deep civic cleansing. 

After eight years on the job, Mayor Jeff Gahan's list of stunning "achievements" is long, indeed: tax increases, budgetary hide 'n' seek, self-deification, daily hypocrisy, public housing takeover, non-transparency, pay-to-play for no-bid contracts, bullying city residents and bullying city employees. Eight years is enough. It's time to drain Gahan's swamp, flush his ruling clique and take this city back from Gahan's Indy-based special interest donors. 

NA Confidential supports David White for Mayor in the Democratic Party primary, with voting now through May 7. 

“David White for Mayor” Town Hall Meeting is at the library on Saturday, April 6 at 10:30 a.m.

And the candidate won't even know your questions in advance, as opposed to the incumbent -- who'll answer NO questions UNLESS he knows them in advance. I'll be there, and I hope to see you there, too.

---

David White to Host “David White for Mayor” Town Hall Meeting

WHAT: Town Hall for New Albany citizens to publicly ask questions of David White, 2019 Democratic candidate for mayor of New Albany

WHEN: Saturday, April 6 at 10:30 AM

WHERE: New Albany-Floyd County Public Library’s Strassweg Auditorium

WHO: All citizens are welcome to take part in this public forum

WHY: David White is running for Mayor to put People First. His priorities are to promote financial security and sustainability, prioritize and mobilize resources to increase public safety and well-being, restore honesty and integrity to the mayor’s office, and support entrepreneurs and local business owners to produce higher paying jobs ... for a better New Albany

Since the last mayoral election Mr. White and the committee to elect David White have had the privilege of connecting with people across New Albany. Many have shared their stories of bullying and deceit. They’ve urged us to take up the fight again to bring honesty, trust, and integrity to the mayor’s office. David White will lay out his plan for doing that while inviting citizens to participate in a respectful Q&A. Please join us for open and honest discussion and learn how David White will put the People First.

No equal billing for David White? That's because Tricky Dickey is playing favorites again, ceding the party's HQ window space to the highest and only bidder, Jeff Gahan.

In October of 2018, it looked like this.

But then it changed.

Same power-brokering slumlord still owns the building.

Same underachieving political party still claims the building as its headquarters.

2003 photo?

Same Democratic chairman still wants us to believe he's democratic.

Maybe the Floyd County Democratic Party sold naming rights to a party member's campaign as displayed on the window of the party member's building.

 

Well, at least they can pay the utility bills this way.

Be that as it may, or may not -- the fun begins soon, as we undertake the dissection of the Gahan campaign's expenditures -- we're left with a question: As it pertains to fairness and impartiality in a primary election, does the county party chairman have a responsibility to assure that all party candidates are treated the same? 

Neither the state nor local party rule books seem to address this, but the Democratic National Committee's charter and bylaws do.

 
The Floyd County Democratic Party's platform ends with this passage, implying that the local party must defer to the national party in matters undefined.

David White is a Democrat, and he's running for mayor in the Democratic Party's 2019 primary.

And yet, for White to get a sign at his own party's downtown headquarters, he has been forced to hang it across the street.

How is Adam Dickey administering a fair and impartial primary election on behalf of the Democratic Party if only one candidate for mayor (hint: the $438,000 candidate) is accorded every square inch of the window at the party's headquarters?

Isn't this level of hypocrisy intense even by Dickey's lofty standards?

Maybe the best explanations are here.

If you're one of those gung-ho local Democratic party members waking each morning to coffee, then hurling abuse at Donald Trump for sleaze and corruption before you've even used the toilet, howzabout while you're in there you take a glance at the mirror and observe exactly who is condoning bad party behavior right here in Anchor City?

Not a pretty sight, is it?

(thanks J)

If the two major parties restrict choice during their primary elections, how can we lament low voter turnout?

Perhaps it's true that the municipal primary turnout would be low even if contested races were on the ballot, but with the filing deadline of February 8 drawing nearer, it's obvious that both Democrats and Republicans favor fixing their fall lineups as soon as possible to the exclusion of competition in the spring.

Currently the only exception I see is David White's challenge to incumbent mayor Deaf Gahan, who has yet to file. That's a foregone conclusion, at least according to the dizzying volume of his re-election bank account.

Maybe this is the way of the world these days, and I can't say it bothers me too much as an independent whose time won't come until the the primary is finished.

Still, for those expressing allegiance to one or the other of the two-party system's pillars, it strikes me as counter-productive to forego the opportunity to freshen the silos with healthy intersquad dialogue -- especially among the Democrats. Was their "progressive" contingent's energy depleted in 2018, leaving them content to endorse four more years of Gahan's solidly anti-progressive governing philosophy?

An idle observation: As currently constituted, the Republican Party's council slate looks reformist, while the Democrats will be regurgitating the same old line-holders. If Adam Dickey were to be honest, he's concede that the most important municipal election already took place, with Dickey and Irving Joshua reconfirmed yet again in their lifetime sinecures controlling the Redevelopment Commission.

Anyway, they're just a few of those little mysteries to contemplate over Sunday coffee.

---

As an addendum, NA Confidential has been unable to confirm whether New Albany Mayor Jeff M. Gahan or anyone working in the city's administration is under federal investigation or indictment for corruption, bribery or racketeering. It is standard policy of the U.S. Justice Department to refuse to confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of investigations or subjects of investigations. A similar policy exists at the F.B.I.

Voter turnout yesterday in Floyd County was marginally better, but still pretty bad.

My primary interest is the one in 2019 (see what I did there), and maybe there'll be something to talk about once my Canon hangover dissipates. Until then, these tweets ...

 ... and a reminder to aspiring local candidates in 2019.

Floyd County turnout higher than 2014, by Chris Morris (Tom May Digest)

NEW ALBANY — At first glance Floyd County's voter turnout for Tuesday's primary election was on the dismal side. Out of 57,260 registered voters, only 9,619 cast ballots — or 16.8 percent.

However, four years ago in the primary, only 7,897 voters turned out — 15.9 percent. And it looks like more Democrats voted in the 2018 Primary. According to the Floyd County Clerk's office, 5,070 Democrats voted, while 4,549 Republicans went to the polls.

"Perhaps the best solution is for Indiana to do away with its convoluted primary system and treat every political party equally."

This contribution is from 2015 in the Crawfordsville newspaper, which at first glance appears to be a Tom-May-Free Zone.

How do they survive up there?

The author Pickerill, a Republican at the time, subsequently switched to Libertarian. In 2015, he was mad as hell that crafty conniving "blue" Democrats could easily invade the inner Red Light sanctum, but the point is if there's no such thing as a "registered Republican," there aren't any "registered Democrats," either.

And, if this depiction is correct, there's nothing a party chairman could do about such an incursion or a deathbed conversion, apart from mounting the bully pulpit.

I'd consistently been under the impression that a few years back, when Dave Matthews was the chairman of the Floyd County GOP, and Scott Blair sought to run for city council as a Republican, Matthews "refused" Blair, who has twice been elected as an Independent.

Could Matthews have done that? Was it just a clever ruse? Did Matthews strongly discourage Blair, while stopping short of deploying legalistic weaponry he didn't actually possess? 

Beats me. If you're reading and can provide clarity as to a party chairman's position in a situation like this, please let me know.

There’s no such thing as a ‘registered Republican’, by John Pickerill (Journal Review)

Since being elected Montgomery County Republican Chairman in 2013, I’ve heard a lot of people claim how they’ve been a “registered Republican” for a number of years. That always puzzles me. According to Indiana state law there’s no such thing as a registered Republican (or Democrat or any other party for that matter). When you register to vote you aren’t asked which political party you belong to. And there is no mention of “registered Republican” in the Rules of the Indiana State Republican Party. So if there’s no such thing, then how do we know who is allowed to vote in a Republican primary election that decides who the Republican nominees will be in the general election? And how do we tell who is allowed to file as a Republican candidate in that primary election?

The answer is, we don’t. Anyone can vote in a Republican primary and anyone can run as a Republican candidate, even people who are radical left-wing Democrats or otherwise hostile to the principles of the Republican platform (protecting people from government interference in their lives, decreasing regulations and taxes, reducing government spending, promoting free market solutions, supporting the right to life of the unborn, supporting gun rights.)

According to Indiana law, voters are affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic Party based on how they voted in the last primary election. If you cast a Republican ballot the last time you voted in a primary election, you are automatically affiliated with the Republican Party. It doesn’t matter even if the voter is a Democratic Party officeholder. If he cast a Republican ballot last time, Indiana considers him a Republican.

At this point you might be asking yourself, why is someone who is so obviously a member of a different political party even allowed to cast a Republican ballot in the first place? Can just anyone cast a Republican ballot at a primary? The answer is yes, pretty much. On primary election day, the poll workers are given a list of every registered voter (Republican, Democrat, or otherwise) for their precinct. State law says if a person’s name shows up on that list they have a right to vote in the Republican primary, unless the voter is challenged by another Republican voter from that same precinct.

So that challenge can stop them from casting a Republican ballot, right? No, not really. That voter can go ahead and vote in the Republican primary as long as they swear (cross-their-heart-and-hope-to-die) that they voted for mostly Republican candidates at the last general election, and also intend to vote for the Republican candidates at the next general election. But it is, of course, impossible to ever prove if the challenged voter was telling the truth or not.

So it’s pretty easy for someone to fake their party affiliation. And so it’s pretty easy for anyone to run as a Republican in a red county or district, to trick enough Republican voters into thinking they’ll hold office like a Republican, and then once they get elected, to do the very opposite. When a candidate calls himself or herself “Republican” it doesn’t mean a whole lot these days. It certainly doesn’t give a voter much information about the politics of the candidate. All it really means is the candidate checked the “Republican” box on their declaration-of-candidacy form.

So how do we fix this broken system? Well, it’s interesting to note that Indiana law only dictates party affiliation for the Republican and Democratic parties. All other political parties decide party affiliation for themselves. Their own party rules determine who is allowed to vote in their process for selecting their nominees for the general election, and who is allowed to file as one of those candidates. Perhaps the best solution is for Indiana to do away with its convoluted primary system and treat every political party equally. Maybe then the Republican brand will mean something unique again. Until then, it will become more and more like the Democratic Party every year.

Courtesy of The Onion.

Here's the link; I've cut and pasted the entire page, and the links are active. They'll take you to the county clerk's site.

But first, a word from our sponsor.

---

HOW TO VOTE IN FLOYD COUNTY 

Thank you for your interest in voting in the upcoming election. Provided below are various ways you can vote in the election. Click on a title below to view more information about that method of voting.

Please Note: You must register to vote at least 29 days before the election. Click here for more information on voter registration

ABSENTEE-IN-PERSON VOTING

All registered voters in Indiana are eligible to vote absentee-in-person at the County Clerk’s Office beginning 29 days before Election Day. 

Absentee-in-Person voters will sign an ABS-7 which is a Absentee Ballot Voted in person envelope in which they will place their ballot into after the cast their vote and scan it through the scanner.  That envelope will be sealed by the voter and placed in the ballot box. The box will be emptied and the ballots will be placed in a secure room until the election results have been certified.

ABSENTEE-BY-MAIL VOTING

MILITARY & OVERSEAS VOTING

EARLY VOTING AT SATELLITE VOTING SITES

EARLY VOTING AT SATELLITE VOTING SITES ON 2 SATURDAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY

• 
  

ELECTION DAY VOTING AT VOTE CENTERS

MORE INFORMATION

Pretend neutrality: The DNC's bias brings to mind Chef Dickey's own local delicacies.

"Obviously (Trump) has run a very divisive campaign himself, assaulting and assailing just about anyone who is in a minority group, a religious group, just about anyone who doesn't completely agree with him."
-- Adam Dickey, local professional Democrat (WHAS)

How very providential of Adam to offer counterpoint to his own club fraternity party's angelic inclinations, as in this e-mail from Democratic National Committee CFO Brad Marshall, also quoted by Charlie Pierce.

From:MARSHALL@dnc.org
To: MirandaL@dnc.org, PaustenbachM@dnc.org, DaceyA@dnc.org
Date: 2016-05-05 03:31
Subject: No shit

It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

Of the recipients, only DNC CEO Amy Dacey answered: "Amen." A-my D-acey. A-dam D-ickey. Reptilian coincidence?

Even the Smart Reptiles Don't Write This Stuff Down, by Charles P. Pierce (Esquire)

... So thus does ideologically aligned press get a Dems In Disarray narrative to write, the ostensibly non-aligned press gets the Both Sides In Chaos story of its dreams, and the DNC under DWS demonstrates, for possibly the last time, that it would screw up a two-car funeral if you spotted it the hearse. These are the people standing between the Republic and El Caudillo de Mar-A-Lago.

Back in here in Swelterville, local Democrats remain stone cold silent in the face of these WikiLeaks side-splitters, obviously waiting for ranking boy genius Dickey and his creation, Jeff "Mortimer Snerd" Gahan, to tell them what they can admit to thinking, if at all.

Earlier today, I surveyed the range of ranking local Democrats on social media.

I'm shocked -- shocked, I say -- to learn that the Democratic National Committee, "which isn’t supposed to favor one Democratic candidate over another until they receive a nomination," did exactly that.

Really?

Debbie Wasserman Schultz wasn't neutral?

Of course, if you're among the New Albanians who supported David White for mayor in last year's Democratic primary, you've heard this story before.

Local party chairman Dickey lifted his entire pro-Gahan playbook from Wasserman Schultz ... unless it was the other way around, and she copied off Dickey's paper.

Dickey as role model for neutrality? Local Demos should be choking on their Bud Lights, but instead, someone needs to fetch a shitload of dimes.

Bernie Sanders dines in New Albany as local Democrats join Hillary at an Applebee's somewhere.

Bernie in NA. Photo credit: BWS.

Bluegill summarizes Tuesday, May 3.

Got to vote for a presidential candidate who actually represents me for the first time ever, got to see the candidate, and the candidate won the primary in my state, all in the same day. Shazam.

Bernie Sanders capped it off by dining at The Exchange and using the NA-FC Public Library as the backdrop for his victory speech.

As you'd expect, Floyd County's Democrats backed Hillary Clinton to the tune of 52.7% - 47.3%. Adam Dickey's local party apparatus mimics the national party machine's emphasis on incessant monetization to the exclusion of genuine political content, which makes Sanders' evening in New Albany all the sweeter.

He actually came close to overturning that voodoo, too.

The Confidentials returned from a brief holiday late yesterday afternoon, flying from Estonia to Netherlands to Atlanta to Louisville. We voted two weeks ago, and were asleep when the Sanders caravan passed through.

But that's okay, and I'm happy for those of you able to take part in the merriment. Echoing Jeff's comments above, the most important part for me was being able to feel good about casting a ballot, rather than doing so strategically whilst clamping the nostrils with a clothespin.

This one meant something. There's no reason why it can't continue to mean something.

WITHOUT CIVIC MINUTES ...

WITHOUT CIVIC MINUTES: Episode V, County Election Preview (The Democrats Strike Back).

At the request of the substitute for the columnist, I've agreed to pull this post.

Baylor for Mayor Primary Petition Party at Destinations Booksellers this Tuesday evening.

Yesterday was lovely, and so we took a walk down to Sojourn Church and voted early.

Previously I explained my ballot choices in excruciating detail, and given that nothing occurred in the intervening week to alter the tableau, so it went. Come Wednesday morning, the march to November begins.

Obviously, primary elections exist for the benefit of established political parties and their machines, and it would make far more sense to run non-denominational local grassroots elections, but this is not the case and we must live with it.

From the start, I've resolved to await the first winnowing before beginning my own campaign for mayor in earnest. The road map will be a bit clearer on Tuesday night, when we'll also be staging a modest primary and petition-signing party with light refreshments and incisive commentary at Destinations Booksellers, 604 E. Spring Street.

There'll be a couple more Baylor for Mayor events in May, which I'll describe in greater detail at a later date.

But first, drop by on Tuesday evening as we examine the post-primary landscape.

What I'm saying: Those candidates who have earned my vote are ...

Earlier today, you learned why I'm choosing not to vote for at-large council aspirant Brad Bell.

What I'm saying: Sorry, Brad Bell, but I cannot support your at-large candidacy.

I simply will not cast a vote in favor of any candidate failing to grasp the efficacy and sheer transformative potential of complete streets in New Albany, of which two-way traffic is an important core component, and yet not the only one.

In like fashion, and speaking only for myself, unequivocal support for two-way/complete streets and overall street grid reform in New Albany -- in summary, Jeff Speck's downtown street network proposals in their entirety -- constitutes my yardstick for determining candidate support on May 5.

un·e·quiv·o·calˌənəˈkwivək(ə)l/adjective
leaving no doubt; unambiguous ... "an unequivocal answer" ... synonyms: unambiguous, unmistakable, indisputable, incontrovertible, indubitable, undeniable

Of the nine at-large candidates for council, I see three who qualify by this standard: Democrats John Gonder (incumbent) and Hannegan Roseberry, as well as Republican Al Knable. Of the remaining at-large contestants on the Democratic ledger, there is the incumbent Shirley Baird; challengers James Garner and Adam Keeler; and Bell (who plainly does not "get" it in the least).

GOP at-large hopefuls Bob Hornung and David Barksdale have not made their views known, insofar as I can tell. They still might. I'm listening.

Gonder and Roseberry have qualified for my vote in the primary, which is what matters to me today. Knable also has done so; in fact, he was perhaps the first of any to make his position known. He has my vote in November.

If you are not mentioned in the above paragraph and feel that I've overlooked something, please let me know. It might help me make a choice. Just remember this word: Unequivocal.

Democrats Cliff Staten and Greg Phipps (incumbent) are running unopposed for council in the 6th and 3rd districts, respectively. The 6th is my "pizzeria & pub" district, and I'd vote for Staten if permitted. The 3rd is my "home" district, and while Phipps admittedly has consistently espoused street grid reform, his recent phantom (and unattributed) endorsement of King Gahan the Silent's non-position on streets, accompanied by an ongoing refusal to answer constituent questions about it, are very dismaying, to say the least. While it can be no more than a symbolic gesture, I will withhold my vote from Phipps in the primary. It is my hope that he returns to reliability by November.

As for mayor, the only candidate who has been open and forthright about Speck advocacy is me, running as an independent, but my name will not be on the ballot until November.

I am unaware of Republican Kevin Zurschmiede's thoughts on the matter. He is running unopposed during the primary.

David White, a Republican running as a Democrat, obviously has crawled into bed with New Albany's trucking and heavy industrial civic value extractors, led by Padgett Inc., which is filing suit against the city to preserve the sacred interstate highways otherwise known as Market, Spring and Elm. Let's merely say that this is not at all encouraging.

And, as already should be painfully clear to inhabitants of the moon, and occupants of yurts somewhere in the Mongolian steppe, the incumbent mayor, Jeff Gahan, has prevaricated, obfuscated and utterly refused to take a public position on Speck's sorely needed plan, thus bizarrely kneecapping with supreme cowardice the very same project that people like Phipps have committed so much personal time and political capital in espousing.

 In some ways, I'd cherish the chance to vote for White in the primary, if for no other reason than as a counterweight to Gahan. Alas, White has refused all entreaties to take streets seriously and get genuinely principled about Speck.

If you're for Speck, then the only logical choice in the mayoral primary is "none of the above," and withholding your vote, as I'll be doing.

CFA-1 filed ... check. Now we shift to petition signature gathering.

Here's the first piece in the puzzle. Yesterday at lunch, Marcey Wisman-Bennett took a break from work and accompanied me to the clerk's office to begin the paperwork trail leading to an independent slot on the ballot this fall.

Part of me wanted to wait until mid-May and call the committee Advance Baylor.

Here's the link to the primary filings as of yesterday afternoon. Note that in the sixth district, incumbent councilman Scott Blair's name does not appear; however, like me, he's an independent, and the primary is about party identity.

The filing deadline is today at noon.