I have often wondered about the impact that titles on ballots have on the minds of voters. Some people go with "educator" when running for education positions even if by educator they mean something far removed with what the image conjures. Others put down businessperson hoping that will make them look good with the public's money. In an election season with so many candidates can the ballot title sway the vote of someone that isn't informed in a race? If I didn't get around to reading about two candidates and one said criminal defense lawyer and the other said police officer, I'd vote for the cop.
If you click here you can see the candidate list and the ballot title that will be listed under their name.
There are some rather interesting titles. Here are my takes on them.
For school board:
Steven Lee Bloore is a certified hypnotherapist.
I hate all those uncertified people running around! Okay I apologize to all the people this type of therapy has helped. For more information on what it takes to become certified go to this link.
Eric Lundstrom is a Financial Analyst and a Father.
Playing up the family vote looks like a good idea. But does this end up inferring the other candidates don't have children? Of course the financial analyst looks great.
For County Supervisor:
Jim Dantona is an Independent Small Businessman.
What would a dependent businessman be? A franchise owner? What is wrong with franchise places? Dantona might have just lost the franchise owner vote. There goes 9 votes down the drain.
Peter Foy is a businessman and a farmer.
He has Jim Dantona beat because he is a businessman and a farmer. Dantona should have put down Father, coach, small independent businessman, educator, part-time firefighter, financial analyst, and a farmer/rancher!
In Eastern Ventura County there are a few farms left and many voters have sympathy for the family farm so I wonder how this one will work with him.
In Oxnard Mayor Thomas Holden is an optometrist.
Isn't kind of weird that after Mayor Lopez they would elect another optometrist in Oxnard? Don't they have any dentists with political aspirations?
Anyways, leave your comments on ballot titles. And thank you Brian Mack for another great photoshop. If you have a nomination for a photoshop leave it in the comments. I hear Glen Becerra liked the last one. I am hoping Peter Foy can use this one when promoting his campaign to farmers.
I wish more candidates would talk about ag issues like Mr. Foy does. It seems we are forgotten in this election. Normally politicans only come around to develop our land, not talk to us.
Thanks Mr. Foy!
Thank you Brian for the most entertaining blog of the year. Keep it up!
What percentage of Simi Valley farmers do you think will vote for Foy?
There goes your big city bias again. Maybe you should put down your latte and sushi and get in your volvo and check out the rest of the district!
There are plenty of farmers in the district. Peter Foy as a farmer understands our issues.
No "big city"(?) bias here. (I actually used to operate my own cattle company.) It is a fact that the vast majority of all votes cast in the last two supervisorial elections for this district came from within areas that could in no longer be considered as agricultural.
I just find it more amusing that this guy identifies himself as a farmer, but that does not appear to be what his principle business is. My conclusion: "insurance sales" just does not strike the same "folksy" ring with voters as "farmer".
He is a farmer! Go to his website. If he was "an insurace salesman" why would he list farmer and only show pictures of him farming? Are you saying he is a liar or are you saying he is embarrassed to be in the insurance biz?
I have known many fine people in the insurance buz and I see no reason to be ashamed of it.
Maybe the truth is he used his profits and became a farmer! Ever thought of that!
"If he was an insurace salesman why would he list farmer and only show pictures of him farming?"
I'm a political consultant, and the answer to this may shock you:
Politicians put their best face forward... even if it's not their usual face. "Farmer" plays better than "Insurance Salesman" in just about every single market out there.
I was looking over a client's questionnaire once (he had the gumption to fill it out himself) and he had put "Trial Lawyer." Sure... but wouldn't "Consumer Protection Attorney" sound better? (It's 100% true, but it's still spin.) Anyway, we ended up amending that with "and Small Business Owner," (since he owned his own two-man law firm).
I would suggest that you don't take the websites that people like myself put together as your ONLY source of information. We put them together as introductions (and sometimes they can be very extensive sources of information)... and if we get lucky, some voters take what we say for granted and just support our guy based on how he combs his hair.
But voters should ALWAYS do their homework, because a candidate's website is simply not going to give equal time to both sides of the story.
Mike what is wrong with selling insurance? I bet you use insurance or are covered by it.
Woah... why so negative, Anti-Me? I don't think I said anything bad about insurance.
The fact remains, though, that "farmer" polls better than "insurance salesman". I don't see how explaining that fact indicates that I'm somehow anti-insurance. (If I told you that chocolate polls better than broccoli, it doesn't mean I don't eat my vegetables!)
I put forth for Mike and only Mike to answer! Does an insurance man offend you? Are YOU more likely to vote for a farmer!
If serious minded people don't laugh Peter Foy out of the room for his FARMER costumes and get up we have no business exporting democracy.
His website shows him farming. The only farm he really knows is maybe FARMERS' INSURANCE!
What is it with idiots admiring brush clearers? First Reagan, then Bush, now maybe Foy? Are people that scared of weeds? Maybe Peter Foy can volunteer to help the fire department as a hobby clear back brush.
I think we should elect someone that doesn't play make believe and expect all of us to treat him as a serious man. Jim Dantona has my vote.
Mr. Foy I buy my food from farmers. I even know a few farmers, and you sir are no farmer.
Mr. "Old 118" made a statement on 9/7 that Mr. Foy was discussing "ag" issues? did I miss something or is Mr.118 smoking something illegal?
Mr. Foy is keeping his mouth shut and obviously for good reason..
Jim Dantona thinks John Deere is a local citizen! You can tell that Peter Foy has a handle on farm issues. He is a farmer after all. Trust city slickers to avoid discussing ag issues.
It is easy to attack Peter Foy as a man, but harder to attack his farm issues.
As a farmer and land use specialist, would you consider filling in a vernal pool or a wetland area without proper permits? Forget about whether or not you agree with the laws....do you understand the consequences of taking such action?
Vernal Pool? You mean swamp land. Back in the day swamps were swamps.
I have no problem with squitter breeding pools being eliminated. If Jim Dantona wants to come out in favor of stagnant water then let him go for the disease spreading vote.
So then, you're NOT really a farmer, are you? Or you'd no about the consequences. Thanks for wasting our time.
Ask Mr. Foy's "farm" neighbors how they feel about his "farm" land, his lack of concern for THEIR property rights, his disdain for fairness or communication. His disregard for zoning laws - or any laws for that matter - that are not from the Old Testament.
Have any of his neighbors spoken out? I must of missed that article.
Old 118,
If we waited for the Star to report or write articles about all we need to know, we'd still think the world is flat...
The Star is worthless in reporting anything somewhat important to an informed population. Look how they babied Mikels for 12 years.
I AM a neighbor of Mr. Foy's.
Prove it!
Yellow.
FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-FARMER FOY-
Per the above:
Obviously, Foy's supporters - like the candidate himself - do not really have anything of substance worth saying.