UPDATED: Visual breakdown of where Bowers & Lucas won
Updated at 12:25 on 5/3/2012 with more detailed map.
Thanks to Matt Chittum for pulling this map together for me. This is a simple red/blue map, Lucas=red and Bowers=blue, for who won what precincts.
Red = Lucas victory. Blue = Bowers victory. Click to enlarge.
UPDATE: Below, find the more nuanced version of the map that ran today.
Click image to enlarge.
– Mason Adams
May 2, 2012 - 11:37 AM
That is no prettier as a visual than it was as a conception. But thanks for the kick in the seat it is.
We’re trying to work out a version that shows the gradations in margin between the two candidates. Some precincts one candidate or the other won by 200 or 300 votes. In others they won by fewer than 10. I’d like to see how that looks, but it’s a little more difficult to make that map.
– Mason Adams
Oh yeah, like that “purple” misshapen U.S. that they did after the last two elections. Ugly but less startling probably.
Very sad representation of just how divided politically and racially we are as a city. I’m sure folks on these blogs are tired of hearing me say it but…..if there was no “D” or “R” before the candidates names there is NO WAY that map would look like that. If this simple map isn’t proof that our city needs to be brought together and not further divided, I don’t know what is. And when the city Democrat Party leaders look at this map, they grin from ear to ear. That’s how candidates like Anita Price with no campaign message, no record of accomplishment, no vision for our city, and no original ideas for improving our community (Oh yeah, she wants a Dillards)come in second in a four way race. Rosen knows the deal and continues to out fox them all.
What happened to Lucas appears to have been pretty basic campaign GOTV stuff. Bowers had a volunteer, minority church-involved and point-man directed (Sherman Lea), door-to-door flushing operation in targeted precincts and neighborhoods to make sure that minority, and older, reliable Democratic voters actually got to the polls to vote before 7pm.
That will always be a winning strategy to win a close municipal election in Roanoke, not facebook and twitter and email blasts.
This is a micrcosm of the US. – the 1% vs the 99%
When the 1% does not turn out, there is no “versus”.
Brandon Bushnell’s campaign slogan was “Uniting the Star City”. (and look at the maps above…) AS AN INDEPENDENT, not a “D” or and “R”. We just didn’t have the staff and all that money coming in to make the push that we needed to. It’s obviously hard to compete with no party backing. Brandon made a good showing, we worked hard, it is what it is now. It is a little sickening though as gofigure points out that in 2012, our city is still so divided.
The map in November will be divided too, but probably more of east-west division than a north-south division as white professionals vote Democratic and blue collar whites vote Republican. For me, the map shows that Lucas didn’t obtain enough support from Northeast Roanoke to prevail.
Actually Brandon’s kiss of death was not being new, not being an independent, and not even his position on the meals tax. It was the OWS connection that scared too many. Just as the “Tea Party” is a dog whistle for liberals, the OWS movement, even Roanoke’s tame and reasonable group is a fearsome thing for many people in power and for all conservatives. Just my opinion but I have been here a long time.
Sandi, Brandon did basically cut ties to Occupy Roanoke for the campaign. He didn’t run as an “Occupy” candidate, but like me, we have that on our heads. The overall major points of the movement are something I believe in, which considering I’m (reasonably-32) young, it’s very important. Not just that younger people like Brandon and myself are involved in Occupy Roanoke, but simply being involved as young people in ANYTHING that is working towards change for the better, locally, and trying to force that change in to actually making a difference through our actions. Whether it’s working in the community gardens, doing volunteer work, outreach work, volunteering for a particular party or group, whatever, young people are our future and I see it as our job to step up, turn OFF the video games and reality tv, and participate in what is going on.
Katrina, I could not agree more. I am with OWS and what they are trying to wake people up to and only wish that violence and stupidity from outsiders had not been able to tarnish them so. I am merely pointing out that such an association, like that of attending “TEA party” events, is the mark of Satan for some voters. And in the case of a new name, some voters is all it takes. I sincerely hope Brandon uses his time wisely and stays involved and informed and runs again next time.