T Ballot results are in! Let’s begin with this reminder, since we always have a few (see later) who need to be reminded: the P/O’s Straw Ballot is a scientiic poll, it is just the collective opinions of STRAW BALLOT some of our readers. That’s it. N is great reading, fun and without The P/O Straw Ballot was published in the Tuesday, May 10, edition of the Public Opinion. Only orig- understanding how or why inal submitted ballots that were mailed (postmarked) or delivered to the Public Opinion offices were uncanny in predicting election race outcomes. counted. This is an unscientific survey of the opinions of our participating readers and should not be confused with a scientific poll, like those used by candidates, political parties and other media outlets. h among our readers about the upcoming election. Hopefully w RACES 3. Is our National party primary … voters about the ballot, and Democratic Presidential Primary q The right length? ...... 30% most of all, we hope this ef weren’t!). 3 will encourage more people to q Bernie Sanders ...... 39% q Too long? ...... 70% actually show up at the voting 3 q Too short? ...... 0% booth and vote! q Hillary Clinton ...... 61% o been pathetic. W Republican Presidential Primary DEMOGRAPHICS return to the days of 60 percent q o counted. That shouldn’t surprise John R. Kasich ...... 27% actually voting in an election. q Ted Cruz ...... 15% • Do you think of yourself as a: And just maybe, the P/O Straw q3 Donald J. Trump ...... 58% q Democrat ...... 30% Ballot will help that happen. ------q Republican ...... 48% ra q Independent ...... 20% the P/O Straw Ballot as a test- S.D. State Senate - District 5 run for our normal general elec q Other ...... 2% tion straw ballot. We haven’t q ...... 45% really had many primary straw 3 • Do you consider yourself: b q Neal Tapio ...... 55% were having primaries (at the ------q Liberal ...... 12% time we made the decision, the q Moderate ...... 43% Republicans were still having Codington Co. 2nd District an active primary), we decided 3 q Conservative ...... 45% to go ahead and do one. If noth q Harlan (Charlie) Waterman ...... 78% ing else, it’s a good warm-up to q Tyler McElhany ...... 28% • Your gender: this coming October’s general election P/O Straw Ballot. ------q Male ...... 48% q Female ...... 52% re Day Co. 2nd District primary races in the Glacial Lakes region. q James Tompkins ...... 40% • Your age: tion in each of those outlying q3 Chuck Aleck ...... 60% q 18-29 ...... 13% c low compared to what we comment on Watertown’s may ------q 30-44 ...... 2% saw in Codington County q 45-64 ...... 25% unexpectedly ed participant can’t wait for the Grant Co. 2nd District ested to see if the straw ballot q 65 and older ...... 60% p q3 Bill Street ...... 43% correctly in comments to relect what’s on q Kevin Dahlgren ...... 14% • Your ethnicity: graphic section to see if we who take the time to ill-out a q3 Tom Peschong ...... 43% q White ...... 98% could get a better picture of just q American Indian ...... 1% who is voting in our P/O Straw Ballots. comments ... irst, we believe Grant Co. 2nd District q African-American ...... 0% q Straw Ballot results Roger Loeschke ...... 43% q Hispanic/Latino ...... 0% q3 Dave Schultz ...... 57% with: Are you surprised? q Other ...... 1% was the District 5 State Senate Grant Co. 4th District R • Your marital status: Neal q Tim Tyler ...... 40% q Married ...... 66% e 3 q Doug Stengel ...... 60% q Unmarried ...... 34% legislator Roger Solum, who was termed out of the S.D. results better,” so why don’t you ------House this year • Your highest level of education: run for the State Senate when Hamlin Co. 2nd District q Did not graduate from high school ...... 2% incumbent Republican Ried 3 H simply say in response: you q Leland J. Roe ...... 57% q High school graduate ...... 32% re-election. In that race, P/O q Debra L. Goebel ...... 43% q Some college or 2-year college degree ..27% Straw Ballot participants have the P/O Straw Ballot. It’s not d about how many voted. It’s q 4-year college degree ...... 25% hunch tells us this race will be Hamlin Co. Treasurer close. W q Jessica Marie Williams ...... 23% q Postgraduate degree ...... 14% q3 b Jessica J. Trautner ...... 73% • Registered to vote: are winners. No surprises there. Candidate Gov voted. That’s it, that’s all. q YES ...... 99% though, appears to be the best ISSUES q NO ...... 1% for second choice among the trying to match this unscientiic Republican voters, and we 1. Should the Republican party change its • Planning to vote in ’s primary: c and independents who partici entiic organized election poll. primary/convention process to make it equal q YES ...... 93% pated in the P/O Straw Ballot, “one-person, one-vote” in every state? q NO ...... 4% wanted to vote for Kasich, too. 3 H q YES ...... 81% q ALREADY VOTED ...... 3% u q NO ...... 19% campaign, that he was the only ------candidate who could defeat the 2. Should the Democratic party change as eventual Democratic candidate, A resident of Codington County? may in fact be true ... IF we noted in #1 above? • q YES ...... 63% believe in the P/O Straw Ballot election. Over the now ive q3 YES ...... 72% results and IF presumptive decades, it’s hard to argue that q NO ...... 37% n q NO ...... 28% to get the nomination. We’ll know come June 7.

n be next? He’s a bully; been one all his n life; not qualiied for president. n All candidates for public ofice should n “Always be Humble and Kind”. Deinition n of word: Chump (n) – 1. A person who n n some information about respondents’ highest ofice in the land is between an

n Don’t be stupid and vote for Trump! Now, don’t worry, the straw ballot n non-scientiic exercise – meant more for Can’t drive in Watertown. The streets are so bad you can’t drive unless you n n If we don’t want the $35 million Taj Mahal get rid of McElhany. We don’t n n . It’s sad the irst n n

vote for large CAFO’s if they do not n

n n We should deinitely go to the pop

messy way it is done now. I don’t feel n n n n n can’t get the votes. n

n I can’t believe even a good n n

n percent independent (or no party afilia n n Washington and the men we’ve had in there forever can’t seem to get anything done so let’s give a woman a chance! n n n Eliminate party afiliation on local, the qualiications to be president of the

n n This year’s choice of candidates for n ballot like Trump it is deinitely too long country if Trump wins. He’s a very sorry

He’s a very uncouth person. n n paign talk are the same as Hitler’s – he