Ron Payne for Mayor

Foto: Gentileza Juje

La carrera para alcalde de Owensboro esta a full.
Dejo extractos de dos articulos publicados en el Messenge-Inquirer.

Sep. 6--Political candidates routinely pay attention to the numbers -- counting up potential votes in precincts, tallying the supporters they can count on in the fall, calculating campaign contributions.
But in his campaign for mayor of Owensboro, Ron Payne is taking a new set of numbers into account to make his pitch to city voters -- cell phone numbers.
Using a system developed by local text messaging service Agent511, Payne is hoping to set up a communications network with local voters that will allow him to better inform them about what his campaign is doing and where he stands on issues.

Payne wants to develop a two-way flow of information to send out campaign updates and hear feedback from the public on certain issues.
Through text messaging, users can send written notes of up to a certain length either from a cell phone or to multiple cell phones using the phone's keypad.
"The feedback aspect of this really excites me," Payne said.
(...) There is already some enthusiasm for using text messaging in Owensboro, and Gopal said he anticipates that enthusiasm continuing to grow.
Gopal said he pitched the idea to several local candidates for office, and Payne was the first to come on board.
(...) Jeff Sanford, a former mayoral candidate who is now a campaign adviser to Payne, said using text messaging is a way to communicate more often with younger voters.
"We really feel strongly about communicating with the public," Sanford said.
Payne said he envisions using the service to let the community know when he will be holding campaign events and receiving input on issues such as downtown development or future uses for the Executive Inn Rivermont property.
Those interested can sign up on Payne's campaign Web site at http://www.payne4mayor.com/. There is typically a fee assessed by cell phone companies to send or receive text messages.
Beyond the campaign, Payne said he believes city government can use text messaging to communicate more quickly with city residents.
"It's not going to stop just with the campaign," Payne said. "The potential here is unlimited. I just think it will open so many doors for us."

Aug. 19--Ron Payne's name will appear first on the ballot ahead of Al Mattingly's in the two-man race for Owensboro mayor.
(...) Both Payne and Mattingly said they don't know if getting the top spot holds an advantage. "It's hard to say," Payne said. "With just the two of us running for mayor, I don't think it gives anyone an advantage."
Payne said if candidates were running in a field of 10 to 15 candidates for a city commission race, placement might count.
"Let me clarify this, though, if I'm going to be any place on that ballot, I want to be first," he said.
"I don't think you can say there is an advantage to being first on the ballot," Mattingly said. "This is my eighth race, and in the other seven I've been all over the ballot."
For example, Mattingly said, in last spring's primary election he held the number three spot and out-polled both Payne and first-time candidate Jeff Sanford.
"Perhaps if someone goes in and doesn't know the candidates, it might give an advantage to the first name," Mattingly said. "If you do a good job of campaigning and getting your name out in front of the public, those people will go in and vote for you."
In Mattingly's 2004 mayoral race against Tom Watson, however, Watson won by only 186 votes, and Watson's name was at the top.
Social scientists and political observers have speculated since the early 1900s that ballot placement does affect voting outcomes. But most of the studies have been of major races.
(...)
Ballot positions are:
-- Owensboro Mayor: Ron Payne, Al Mattingly.
-- Owensboro City Commissioner (vote for 4): David Johnson, Charles A. Castlen, Candance Castlen Brake, John M. Kazlauskas, Cathy Armour.
-- Owensboro Independent School Board Member: (vote for 3): Jane Miller Haase, Wes Roberts, Cate Lauzon, George Gilliam, James Lott.
-- Daviess County Public School Board Member, District 3 (vote for 1): Dianne Burns Mackey, Joe Overby.
-- Whitesville City Commissioner (vote for 4): Steve Morris, John O. Boarman Jr., Roger D. Bellamy, Joseph Beatty, Keith Morris, Patsy Mayfield.
In the election of four members to the Daviess County Soil and Water Conservation Board, Thomas E. Neal, C.A. Pantle Jr. and Richard Strode will automatically take seats.
The ballot will include a write-in spot for a fourth member, deputy clerk Richard House said. Whoever signs up as a certified write-in candidate will be listed.