The question of the Emporia smoking ban has been settled. Tuesday’s recount of the ballots not only confirmed the ratification of the ban, but broadened (if only by two votes) the narrow victory of the ban’s supporters.
The recount was a good idea. The results announced last week showed the ban being ratified by a margin of six votes in a total turnout of almost 5,000. After a hard-fought campaign, such a tiny margin left a lot of room for questions about the accuracy of the count.
Attorney Mike Helbert did the whole community a favor when he stepped forward to ask for the recount. Because it did not change the outcome of the election, Helbert had to pay for the recount out of his own pocket, but he saved the community months or years of recriminations, doubt and unfounded rumors of dirty doings at the polls.
Now that the vote has been counted and recounted, it is clear that, by the will of the people, Emporia has a ban on public smoking.
We can live with that.
What we could not have lived with was more months of fevered debate over the ban.
That’s the sort of thing that, if carried on too long, can shorten a person’s life.
Patrick S. Kelley
Editorial Page Editor
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
I'm only answering this because this is such a rare occasion - for once, I totally agree with Pat. In some states, when the margin of a vote is within a certain small percentage, the law REQUIRES a recount. I think with a margin that small a recount SHOULD be mandatory. But it is over and decided. No more hanging chads, no more trying to discount the military vote, no more trying to get the gov to change their own laws to allow more recounts. Move on. Work towards the future if you want, this may be up again if the people decide so, but for the present, accept the law and obey it as long as it is on the books.
I have a feeling though, much like everytime gay marriage is voted down, that we haven't seen the last of it, however....
April 16, 2009 at 7:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dml (anonymous) says...
I have held my tongue to long. When my parents and I went to vote, our names were not in the book. The people working the polling place were sure that a page was missing from the book because we vote at every election so they called the courthouse. They said we were supposed to vote at Olpe instead of Neosho Rapids, but let us vote provisional ballots. I think we are the 3 who were listed as voting at the wrong polling place. Mom called in a couple days latter to see where we are supposed to vote in future elections and we were told that they made a mistake at the courthouse and that we would continue to vote at Neosho Rapids. I wonder how many other mistakes like that were covered up by the clerks office.
Also, I know of at least 2 people in Emporia who said they read the smoking ban question and voted in favor of it then realised after they left that they wanted to vote against it because of the rights issue. I wonder how many other people did the same.
I am sure that we will have a chance to vote on a ban similar to this county wide. It is just a matter of time with Walters on the county Commission if the state does not beat her to it.
April 16, 2009 at 8:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
I myself am a non smoker, but would have voted against the smoking ban due to the "rights" issue. However, after bowling recently it sure was nice to leave there not smelling like smoke with eyes burning, and a lot of coughing and hacking myself. I guess this situation was a "win win" for myself. I am sure glad the issue is over though.
April 17, 2009 at 3:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
Oh yeah....and now could we please ban smoking at my father's house?
April 17, 2009 at 3:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )