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neonvincent) wrote2018-01-07 11:13 am
neonvincent) wrote2018-01-07 11:13 am
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Washtenaw County Elections Examiner: Top stories of 2014 article
Now it's time for me to rotate to my political articles from the first half of 2015. Here is the first, which is a retrospective of the past year's most read. Look, two stories about the Green Party and no Trump!
Top elections stories of 2014 about underdogs, endorsements, millages
With 2015 already into its second month, it is well past time to look at the top Washtenaw County election stories of 2014 before moving on to this year's election news. Based on the number of Facebook shares and likes, five stories stood out, the top three of which shared a common theme, underdogs in last year's general election.
The other two were about favorites. One was about the candidates endorsed by Detroit's major daily newspapers, while the other was about a millage proposal. Both the endorsees and the millage proposal went on to crushing wins.
The most popular election story of 2014 featured the Green Party nominee for U.S. Senate, Chris Wahmhoff. He faced trespassing charges for spending his thirty-fifth birthday skating inside a pipeline under construction in Marshall to protest tar sands, but had them dismissed in time to be nominated. Wahmhoff was in good company, as 2012 Green Party nominee for President Jill Stein had also been arrested for trespassing during a protest against the Keystone XL pipeline in the middle of her election campaign three years ago.
As popular as Wahmhoff's story was among readers, earning 599 likes and shares on Facebook, the candidate himself did not fare so well at the ballot box. He came in fifth place, dead last in a field of five candidates, with only 0.8% of the statewide vote. He improved his standing only slightly in Washtenaw County, managing fourth place with 1.1% of the vote, edging out U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Richard A. Matkin by 0.4%.
The Sierra Club's endorsement of Shari Pollesch for one of Washtenaw County's two Michigan Senate seats came in second. Pollesch was among nine candidates on last year's ballot in Washtenaw County endorsed by the Sierra Club. Six of those candidates won in November. Alas, Pollesch was not among them. Despite the article about her earning 134 likes and shares on Facebook, she came in second to Joe Hune for the 22nd District seat, losing 59% to 38%, although she managed to squeak out a bare plurality in the Washtenaw County portion of her district, 49.4% to Hune's 47.7%.
A story touting the Democratic nominees for statewide office leading in a USA Today poll was the third most popular on social media last year with 92 Facebook shares and likes. The poll had all four candidates leading over the Republican candidates. When the votes came in, only one, Senator Gary Peters, won his race for an open seat. The rest lost against Republican incumbents, although they did better than the Democratic nominees in 2010.
With 32 likes and shares, the fourth most popular article last year was about Detroit's major daily newspapers picking the favorites in congressional primaries for districts including and adjoining Washtenaw County. Both the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News endorsed Debbie Dingell for the 12th Congressional District, while the Free Press endorsed Tim Walberg in the 7th Congressional District. Both went on to win their primaries and general elections.
The overwhelming approval of a millage to expand and improve service for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority rounds out the top five for 2014. The article itself earned 27 shares and likes. The millage itself won 71% to 29%.
If there is a take-home message from last year's top stories, it is that popularity on Facebook does not necessarily translate to success at the ballot box. That's a good lesson to take into 2015.
Top elections stories of 2014 about underdogs, endorsements, millages
With 2015 already into its second month, it is well past time to look at the top Washtenaw County election stories of 2014 before moving on to this year's election news. Based on the number of Facebook shares and likes, five stories stood out, the top three of which shared a common theme, underdogs in last year's general election.
The other two were about favorites. One was about the candidates endorsed by Detroit's major daily newspapers, while the other was about a millage proposal. Both the endorsees and the millage proposal went on to crushing wins.
The most popular election story of 2014 featured the Green Party nominee for U.S. Senate, Chris Wahmhoff. He faced trespassing charges for spending his thirty-fifth birthday skating inside a pipeline under construction in Marshall to protest tar sands, but had them dismissed in time to be nominated. Wahmhoff was in good company, as 2012 Green Party nominee for President Jill Stein had also been arrested for trespassing during a protest against the Keystone XL pipeline in the middle of her election campaign three years ago.
As popular as Wahmhoff's story was among readers, earning 599 likes and shares on Facebook, the candidate himself did not fare so well at the ballot box. He came in fifth place, dead last in a field of five candidates, with only 0.8% of the statewide vote. He improved his standing only slightly in Washtenaw County, managing fourth place with 1.1% of the vote, edging out U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Richard A. Matkin by 0.4%.
The Sierra Club's endorsement of Shari Pollesch for one of Washtenaw County's two Michigan Senate seats came in second. Pollesch was among nine candidates on last year's ballot in Washtenaw County endorsed by the Sierra Club. Six of those candidates won in November. Alas, Pollesch was not among them. Despite the article about her earning 134 likes and shares on Facebook, she came in second to Joe Hune for the 22nd District seat, losing 59% to 38%, although she managed to squeak out a bare plurality in the Washtenaw County portion of her district, 49.4% to Hune's 47.7%.
A story touting the Democratic nominees for statewide office leading in a USA Today poll was the third most popular on social media last year with 92 Facebook shares and likes. The poll had all four candidates leading over the Republican candidates. When the votes came in, only one, Senator Gary Peters, won his race for an open seat. The rest lost against Republican incumbents, although they did better than the Democratic nominees in 2010.
With 32 likes and shares, the fourth most popular article last year was about Detroit's major daily newspapers picking the favorites in congressional primaries for districts including and adjoining Washtenaw County. Both the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News endorsed Debbie Dingell for the 12th Congressional District, while the Free Press endorsed Tim Walberg in the 7th Congressional District. Both went on to win their primaries and general elections.
The overwhelming approval of a millage to expand and improve service for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority rounds out the top five for 2014. The article itself earned 27 shares and likes. The millage itself won 71% to 29%.
If there is a take-home message from last year's top stories, it is that popularity on Facebook does not necessarily translate to success at the ballot box. That's a good lesson to take into 2015.