The Collin County Observer

News, Analysis & Opinion for Collin County

Run-off needed to settle Plano City Council Race

01/30/10

09:13:47 pm, by bill

, 105 words,

Categories: Observer Opinions, Elections

Run-off needed to settle Plano City Council Race

The final election results are in, and Plano voters will have to return to the polls to decide who will sit on the Place 3 City Council seat.

With 100% of the precincts reporting, Andre Davidson is leading, but fell 261 votes short of the 2,080 votes needed for a majority win.

The results are:

Andre Davidson 1819 (43.74%)
Cathy Fang 1517 (36.48%)
Doug Shockey 823 (19.79%)

This special election, called after Mabrie Jackson resigned her council seat to seek the nomination for State Legislature, failed to excite the vast majority of Plano's voters. Turnout was very low, with only 2.9% of the registered voters casting a ballot.

The run-of will be held on March 20.

Bill

Permalink 17 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Steve Navarre [Visitor]

You mean Cathy Fang was only 563 votes short of winning tonight...

Permalink 01/30/10 @ 23:03

Comment from: bill [Member]

Steve,

Yea, she did better than me. I was only 4,160 votes from winning! (but then again, I wasn't on the ballot)

Bill

Permalink 01/30/10 @ 23:08

Comment from: Linda Marcus [Visitor]

I worked the election yesterday and was amazed at how many people did NOT come to the polls to exercise their right to choose. I understand this happened quickly but thought more people followed their dollars locally and would want a say in how their city was run.

Permalink 01/31/10 @ 07:48

Comment from: visitor [Visitor]

Amazed that after spending $80K to have a special election to fill Mabrie Jackson's seat, the city of Plano now gets to spend another $80K for a run-off. I guess I can't blame her for running for State Rep, but what a slap in the face to Plano by not fulfilling the term they elected her to and costing the city $160K by stepping down. Even harder to see the low turnout... each vote was nearly $20.

Permalink 01/31/10 @ 10:32

Comment from: Chuck Bloom [Visitor]

Sorry, but I deliberately chose NOT to vote because I don't see a dime's worth of difference between any of the candidates and none of them made any outreach attempt to garner my vote. Thye look too cookie-cutter to me.
It's sad and unfortunate that "none of the above" choice doesn't exist.
And I won't be voting March 20 either for the same reasons. Which IS my right as a resident and citizen. When people I can support run, then I will rejoin the fray.

Permalink 01/31/10 @ 20:39

Comment from: visitor [Visitor]

wow, Chuck... you're telling me that NONE of the races have anyone that you would support on March 2nd? (Primary is March 2, not March 20).

I don't know about Plano - as I don't live there, but if you're willing to acquiesce to others and let them choose your representatives, then that's your prerogative. Regardless, it will happen - and believe it or not, there are marked difference in some of the races.

To each his own...

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 09:33

Comment from: D Matlock [Visitor]

Visitor, I think Chuck was referring to the Plano City Council special election runoff that will be held March 20th.

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 10:41

Comment from: visitor [Visitor]

Thanks D Matlock for the clarification. Didn't realize the date was set. That's going to be confusing to many - as there were some that showed up to vote for this special election that were already confused as to which races were on the ballot that day. We heard all kinds of stories from the election judges, etc.

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 13:26

Comment from: MikeO [Visitor]

· http://datatroll.wordpress.com

Doesn't anyone find it interesting that the well-oiled Plano 'establishment' machine has stumbled so badly over a CPA with no political experience or connections, coming from an ethnic group with the lowest historic turnout of all? Now, how on earth could that have happened? :)

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 13:45

Comment from: D Matlock [Visitor]

I don't know if I would call that "stumbling" Mike. I'm not 100% convinced that Andre is considered 'establishment'. I didn't see any motivation from 'establishment' folks regarding her or this race.

I am interested to see if and how this will translate into the primary elections. I think Andre was obviously seen as the "favorite" and I think a lot of people didn't vote for her for that reason. In fact, I think people saw Cathy as a close 2nd to Andre and so they voted for Doug. I thought the numbers were very interesting. I am concerned that there is an "incumbent dislike" no matter who you are and that worries me for the primary season.

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 14:36

Comment from: bill [Member]

Mike,

What's so "interesting" about it? Is it surprising that if you give an ethnic group a reason to vote and a vision of what their vote means, they'll go to the polls? Ask John McCain, he'll explain it to you.

Bill

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 14:46

Comment from: MikeO [Visitor]

· http://northtexasteaparty.org/2010/02/01/nttp-members-team-up-in-city-council-race/

Bill, check the picture at the link above and you'll see what I mean.I don't think I've ever seen quite as diverse a political group as I saw Saturday night. It was the kind of citizen-inspired politics that some journalists used to advocate.

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 16:56

Comment from: bill [Member]

Mike,

City Council races are supposed to be non-partisan. If in fact Kathy Fang has accepted the endorsement of the Tea Party, then in my opinion both the Tea Party and Ms. Fang have acted inappropriately.

While I do not like what the Tea Party stands for, I recognize and honor its legitimate role in partisan elections.

However, I deplore its foray into city elections.

Just as disturbing is hearing judicial candidates claiming to be "Tea Approved". Judges should be above such entanglements, they are elected to offer justice, not a political ideology - whatever the flavor.

Our Democracy has weathered similar threats before and has remained strong, and so I have hope that this too shall pass.

I just wish it would happen sooner rather than later.

Bill

Permalink 02/01/10 @ 23:22

Comment from: MikeO [Visitor]

· http://northtexasteaparty.org/

Bill, you still don't understand us Tea Party people, do you?

First, Cathy accepted no endorsement because none was offered; in fact, no 'endorsement' has been offer to ANYONE; we 'TeaApprove' some candidates (for the difference, read this explanation: http://northtexasteaparty.wordpress.com/teaapproved/ ). Supporting Cathy was an individual decision, not a group one; a bunch of us went that route.

Secondly, we are NOT a partisan organization; the concepts of fiscal responsibility and limited government are not linked solidly with either Party (although locally- as you know- nearly all choices in the primaries occur in the GOP) nor to partisan races.

A 'threat to democracy'? Only in a sense that we are believers that we should be a representative REPUBLIC, as our Founders originally intended. And were are practitioners of the democratic arts under that form of government, not threats to them.

Permalink 02/02/10 @ 09:25

Comment from: Davis Standard [Visitor]

Mike, I would challenge you to look at some of the candidates the TEA Party has endorsed and then try to explain how your group is not partisan. Look at Scott Brown. He was endorsed by the TEA Party movement and I know for a fact there is no way you guys can even try to fabricate his record as being "conservative". The guy voted for universal healthcare in his state and voted for broad expansions to state funded entitlement programs (several times). TEA Party people in Collin County thought Brian McCall was too moderate, I can't imagine how ya'll would have ripped Scott Brown to political pieces if he were running here in Collin.

My point above clearly identifies your group as partisan. Did those northerners make a good choice in electing him, yes! But is he a Collin County type TEA Party Conservative, no way that argument could even be made.

I have no problem with ya'll being a partisan group. I think it's a good thing. I think it energizes a frequent lethargic republican base.

Permalink 02/03/10 @ 15:18

Comment from: Mike O [Visitor]

· http://northtexasteaparty.org

Davis, your ignorance is showing. The Tea Parties are all autonomous groups; only liberal Astroturf to that level (Soros money helps them). I couldn't even name the specific groups that backed Scott Brown; but I will say this about him. He's more conservative than most up there and those local groups made their own decisions. As for his health care vote; maybe he learned the same lesson as unionist Reagan did early in his political career.

We push toward fiscal conservatism and sanity with what we have to work with, Up in the Northeast, they just have a lot farther to push.

And our group has NOT precluded vetting people- from multiple parties- once the primaries are done.

Permalink 02/04/10 @ 00:46

Comment from: af [Visitor]

I think that everyone has forgotten that the reason there is a race in Plano Place 3 is because the Candidate Step down, Plano is facing a terrible deficit of over $25 million dollars, and you need someone with experince and financial background, and the backbone to go in there and work for the Citizens, this is about a city that has lost its sense, it is spending like drunken sailors, people are moving to other cities, the mall does not attract anyone, the deficit can be a serious threat to the safety and security of the town...what matters is what is best for the city, city elections are non partician. It is time to make things happen for the better of the Citizens.

Permalink 02/04/10 @ 10:05

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The Collin County Observer

Run-off needed to settle Plano City Council Race

01/30/10

Run-off needed to settle Plano City Council Race

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