Jackson Jambalaya

Over the years Jackson has been treated to Donna Ladd's many election myths in the Jackson Free Press. Yesterday it was her oft-repeated myth that turnout was low when Harvey Johnson and Frank Melton squared off in the 2005 Democratic Primary. Here is what she wrote:

Ladd on 04/14/09 at 01:02 PM: Oh, and another thing about turnout and such: The last mayoral election saw low turnout in both primary and general—neither Melton or Johnson excited a remarkable number of people, truth be known.

Of course Ladd doesn't bother to provide any substantiation to buttress her turnout myth. Four years ago we got this hackneyed story from the JFP that tried to explain away the Melton victory as the result of a disinterested electorate.

That story included numerous inaccuracies. Here is one whopper:
Lynch, June 15, 2005: There were 30,128 votes cast in the June 7 general election. With there being 131,713 voters registered in Jackson, the election only stirred up about 22.8 percent of voters.

There is a big, big problem with that second sentence. You see, in 2005, there were not 131, 713 registered voters in Jackson. There.simply.were.not.

So where did that number come from? That number came from the US Census Bureau. The 2000 Census pegged Jackson's voting aged population (VAP), the number of Jacksonians aged 18 years and over, at exactly 131,713. But there is a huge difference between citizens who are old enough to vote and citizens who are actually registered to vote.
(Note: As of today, April 15, 2009, there are 106,825 Jacksonians registered to vote.)

When Ladd spouts this low turnout myth about Melton's 2005 victory, she conveniently omits exactly which elections in the past -- which historical elections -- she is using for her comparison.
Consider this table that compares 2005 to four other recent elections of specific importance within Jackson:


Click image to enlarge.

Without some past election against which to compare Melton's victory over Harvey Johnson there is scant evidence -- none really -- these past four years of mayoral-ineptitude-on-parade were the result of a low voter turnout.

YES, many registered voters stayed home and YES, the electoral process would benefit if more of those who are registered exercised their civic duty by voting. But NO, Frank Melton's 2005 primary win was NOT the result of an abnormally low voter turnout at the polls.

In closing I leave you with more of Ladd's words from yesterday:
Ladd on 04/14/09 at 01:02 PM: I predict a much better turnout this time, at least in the primary.

Oh yeah? Compared to what?