A VOTER UNLOADS

DEAR STRANGER: Being the conscientiously informed voter I am, I tuned in to the televised debates on the Seattle Channel and [public affairs network] TVW, followed the issues and hit pieces in the various local trash tabloids (Times, P-I), and even got involved in fundraising, sign-waving, and poll-watching for one of the candidates. I was so informed that several people, including my 20-year-old son called to get my recommen- dations. I figured with that much interest, we’d be looking at some serious turnout on Election Day.

Fat freakin’ chance.

[According to election night vote tallies on King County’s website], roughly 6,500 people [who cast ballots] didn’t vote for anyone for City Council Pos. 1. The 3,120 vote difference between Nicastro and Godden represents 0.86% of registered voters. This boggles my mind on a lot of levels, but mostly when I realize that [according to election-night totals], 78% of eligible voters didn’t bother to vote. After all the bitching, these jerks sat home on their dead asses and refused to participate. This race was effectively decided [as of election night] by 37,527 voters (half of the total votes, plus 1). That’s 10.9% of the total electorate. What a joke. Well, they deserve the government they get, and if they get the next four years of Aunt Bee baking pies while the city burns, so be it.

To all those cranky, whining, lazy, anti-everything SOBs who abstained from the process, I’d like to wholeheartedly express the following: Have a big, hot, steaming cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Jef Jaisun

WHO VOTES?

DEAR STRANGER: The results of yesterday’s election lead me to believe that either readers of The Stranger don’t agree with your endorsements, the readership of your publication is surprisingly small, or readers of The Stranger are pathetically apathetic. I’m casting my vote on this one for the latter.

Kevy Metal

JOSH FEIT RESPONDS: While we’re disappointed in some of this year’s election results (nay on districts and nay on Nicastro), we are not disappointed in our readers. According to the Media Audit (the independent national media auditing service), Stranger readers vote at a higher rate than people who read Seattle’s daily papers; hardly surprising given that Greg Nickels and the monorail–both endorsed by The Stranger and not endorsed by the Seattle Times–won in recent elections. And don’t forget about this year’s demise of Margaret Pageler: She was enthusiastically endorsed by the Times and hounded by The Stranger.

ATTACK OF…

First Compton, now Godden. Seattle, what a sick joke. Soon to be a B-movie screamer entitled Attack of the Senile Flacks.

Knute Rife

MISTRESS NARCISSUS

EDITORS: I was pleased to see a genuine topic-related column by Mistress Matisse in this week’s paper [“Death Before Dominatrixes,” Oct 23]. Even though I think she was reacting to the wrong thing–I suspect the “adult entertainment” permit was maybe more about chopping penises than faux-whipping scenes–this column was still a better read than Matisse’s recent string of “What I Did This Weekend” columns. Honestly, is it really all that thrilling for most people to read that Matisse kissed a girl? Again? I like her column, but I like it a heck of a lot more when she’s discussing the societal ramifications of SM or giving us instructional, behind-the-scenes information. The “Dear Penthouse” material is much less interesting.

Dorion in Detroit

I, ANNOYED

DEAR STRANGER: You rock lately, give the only real news in town, and I enjoy pig tales, Bookfest belittling, and deserved jabs at the dailies.

However, I am disappointed with I, Anonymous lately. I have been led to expect delightful local tales of moral lapses, like when the hooker robbed her favorite but dead john. Now, Seattle is a swell place, but I cannot believe no one has done anything to be ashamed of in the last few weeks. Which brings me to the most recent I, Anonymous [“Pop Culture Wars,” Oct 30]. While suitably venomous, the observation that Britney and Madonna would have done us all a favor by never singing again is tired and obvious. I want action in these tales–raw and real!

I need to take my nap now. Keep stinking it up.

Morgan in Queen Anne

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS: Last week, in “Ron’s Going Down,” by Josh Feit, and in “Taking Back the Initiative,” by Erica C. Barnett and Sandeep Kaushik, we reported that Sound Transit said it could continue to collect the motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) to cover its outstanding bonds and could use the excess revenues to cover additional bonds. Sound Transit’s lawyer did say the agency will continue to collect the MVET to cover outstanding bonds, adding, “Conceptually, we should be able to issue additional bonds and pledge the MVET tax up to the year 2028.” However, Sound Transit has no plans to pledge excess MVET revenues to issue new bonds. Sound Transit says new bonds could be covered by other sources like sales taxes and rental-car taxes.

Also, two weeks ago, the article “The Big Picture,” by Josh Feit, reported that George Griffin loaned $15,000 to the anti-districts campaign. That was incorrect. Griffin provided $10,000 in consulting services. We regret the errors.