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City of Charlottesville Office of Voter Registration, Sheri L. Iachetta, Registrar (via fax, April 25, 2000)
In this year's city council race, only 22.6% of the registered voters cast a ballot. "That's down even from two years ago, when 24 percent of registered voters visited the polls and marked the lowest voter turnout in at least 20 years, according to the registrar's records (Kimberly O'Brien, The Daily Progress, May 6, 1998). According to Kevin Cox, only "14% of eligible city voters" actually got to the polls, as only 20,000 of 33,000 (or so) "adults eligible to vote are registered" (Kay Peaslee, The Observer, May 13-19, 1998). Tuesday, May 5, 1998, 7:18 p.m. After the polls close and before the votes are tallied, WINA designated expert John Conover predicts "a Democratic Sweep and no votes for Kevin Cox" (John Conover, May 6, 1998). In the 1996, Michael Crafaik faced three Democrats for three open seats. At that time, another political prognosticator, Tom Hill, prediced that Michael would win the Clark, Walker, and Recreation precincts (The Observer, May 2, 1996). In fact, Crafaik placed in only one precinct, beating out Virginia Daugherty, 453 to 445, and lost to Daugherty city-wide, 1,852 to 2,571 (Unofficial Election Returns, The Daily Progress, May 8, 1996). In his second bid for city council, Crafaik "received 173 fewer votes than in the 1996 elections ..." (Kimberly O'Brien, The Daily Progress, May 6, 1998). When asked about the future, Michael Crafaik wasn't so sure about a third try, but "promised to stay active in politics and the Republican party" (Kimberly O'Brien, The Daily Progress, May 6, 1998). James King, who received only 140 votes fewer than Crafaik, said that "if the issues warrant it and [the City Council doesn't] address it, then I will do it again" (Kimberly O'Brien, The Daily Progress, May 6, 1998). The most notable newspaper headline during the city council race was the one for Doug Davala's article on James King: Independent candidate: Population is fleeing city (The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, March 25 - 31, 1998). At the press conference, King stressed the power of the current City Councilors "to reverse 'alarming' demographic trends" and the importance of having citizen representation by the city in decisions by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors which "directly determine Charlottesville's demographic future" (The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, March 25 - 31, 1998).
"'You have five people who think alike and act alike,' said Thomas Albro, a Crafaik supporter who served as a Republican on the City Council from 1978 to 1982. 'If you like one-party government, you ought to like the red party in China. [The government] ends up not listening to the people, because it doesn't need the people" (Kimberly O'Brien, The Daily Progress, May 1, 1998).
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