Interesting question:
The U.S. economy looms large over November's general election in a
basic way for strapped cities and counties: can they afford it?
In
Detroit, the city clerk warned last week that the Rust Belt city would
have trouble holding the Nov. 6 presidential election under a
slimmed-down budget the mayor proposed to address years of deep
financial problems.
In Jefferson County, Alabama,
the local government was so short of cash for elections that it used
road repair crews to staff the state's Republican presidential primary
last month.
And in South Carolina, a $500,000
shortfall after the state's Republican primary in January led elections
officials to consider a sponsorship deal with comedian Stephen
Colbert, who plays a mock conservative pundit on his late-night TV
show.
With cities and counties across the United
States in dire financial straits, many local officials are struggling
to come up with the millions of dollars they will need to hold the Nov.
6 elections. That is likely to mean fewer election workers and long
lines for voters, which could reduce turnout.
