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Governor (and Imminent Vo-Tech Governing Board) Owe Me Lunch

The narrowest margin on any ballot measure this year was on Amendment R, the constitutional clean-up that allows the Legislature to create a governing board for our vo-tech schools separate from the Board of Regents. R passed 50.61% to 49.39%, a difference of 4,263 votes. If 2,132 votes had gone the other way, R would be dead.

Over the last 30 days, my page on Amendment R was the most popular page on Dakota Free Press. Not counting post-election views, my R page drew 6,178 views, more than the landing page for all ten ballot measures.

My stats don’t record R’s unique viewers over the past month, but if I offer a liberal estimate of 2 to 1 views to viewers, that’s 3,089 people who weren’t clear on R, Googled it, and got clear on R reading my description and watching my gentle advocacy.

In other words, while the Governor expended political capital and his big business friends spent likely more than $400,000 (possibly $500K if we add in the Chamber’s separate ballot question committee’s efforts), the crucial last couple-some thousand votes they needed to turn came from that darned Democrat in Aberdeen.

You’re welcome. I’ll take my burger like my ballot question advocacy—well done. Or you can just ring the Tip Jar. I’m a cheaper date than your consultants.

4 Comments

  1. grudznick 2016-11-11 18:35

    You had a job well done there, sir, but I implore you to not eat South Dakota beef well done in burger form. Eat Iowa shoe leather if you must file down your teeth but burgers well done? Are you insaner than Sibby’s stepsister?

    But good job, Mr. H. The Governor should buy you a beer at least.

  2. caheidelberger Post author | 2016-11-12 08:53

    Grudz, I eat nothing that bleeds. Rare meat is an insult to the triumph of the human ingenuity that brought us fire. Make mine crispy.

  3. grudznick 2016-11-12 09:19

    Mr. H, humans did not invent fire. And since there is no god, it must have been witches. Eat meat the way it is tastiest to you, I guess, but to take a filet of mignon from the smallest part of the lion and burn it to a crisp does a disservice to the animal that gave its life to you for breakfast. Speaking of which, my ride is here…

  4. John W. 2016-11-14 18:16

    The pending “discussion” in the legislature should be more than interesting. Watch now as the fight erupts between the Gov’s office and the hard righters who hate common core and will find a way to implant conspiracy theorist on this new board that will insult the intelligence of both the board of regents and the respective school boards. You won the bet perhaps, but I’d guess that there will be substantial film on the cutting floor before all this is said and done. Will the Tech Schools be any better? Doubtful. Management by committee seldom works.

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