Kanawha Table Games Breakdown: Cross Lanes won it for the gamblers August 12, 2007
Of course, it’s not quite over yet, but if the results hold, the gamblers can look to Cross Lanes for their election victory.
(To check out the full city-by-city results, please view the ‘Front Page’ section of this blog.)
Now, let’s step back a second before we do a full-scale analysis.
After 45,000 votes were cast, there was a difference of THIRTY-THREE votes. Holy cow.
I ended up going down to Voters Registration, one because I wanted to analyze the results (the engineer in me), and two because it’s always an interesting atmosphere.
But, I will say this, I have never seen a election quite like this one. There have been some close ones (Kent Carper coming back and winning in 1996 comes to mind). But, I have never seen the back and forth, back and forth that occured tonight. The gamblers were ahead, then the Vote No and back and forth it went all night.
There was drama when 155 votes cast in early voting weren’t counted at the precinct as they should have been. So, after a high level powwow, they were counted AFTER all the others were already tallied and lowered the vote difference from a 60 vote lead to a 33 vote win.
But, it’s not over quite yet… And, we will have to wait until Friday (and maybe longer) to get a final tally.
There are 586 challenged ballots. According to Commishi Carper and Hardy, usually about one-half of these are thrown out. The ones thrown out are people either not registered or people voting in the wrong precinct… (I learned something new tonight. I just assumed that if you voted in the wrong precinct, it was challenged, but then counted. But, not true. If you vote out of precinct (other than if you are a poll worker assigned outside of your area), your vote doesn’t count).
So, let’s say 250 votes are actually counted during Friday’s canvass.
The Vote No crowd needs a split of 142-108 to pull off the biggest upset in Kanawha County election history.
That’s a tall task and a big split.
Many of these votes will be precinct workers who were working out of their own precincts.
I don’t ever remember an election like this being overturned during the canvass, but heck, with the way this election has went, anything could happen.
But, my guess is if the vote total closes to within say 20 votes on either side, it is probably worth it for the losing side to go ahead and call for a recount. Obviously, the gamblers, who dropped a cool million (according to them, my guess is more), wouldn’t blink to spend the money.
Even the Vote No crowd should be able to raise the money for a recount. With the few mistakes that were already made with this unconventional election, and the hand counting of paper ballots and a 20 vote or less difference after 45,000 votes are cast, I’d make ‘em recount them. One single addition error at one of the precincts could change the election.
All that being said, the numbers were very interesting.
Here’s a list of some of the more interesting parts of Kanawha County.
Charleston? It went as expected and voted in favor of it. The gamblers won Charleston by 2,400 votes. Keeping in line with the craziness of the night, it actually was closer in Charleston than I thought it would be.
South Charleston? This was a close one and a little surprising to me. S. Charleston voted in favor by 200 votes.
Northern Kanawha County also went as expected voting heavily against it. St. Albans voted no by 300 votes, Sissonville went no by 400 votes, Elkview/Pinch/Clendenin went no by more than 700 votes.
Dunbar? It is pretty amazing to me, but Dunbar picked the winner again, by as close a margin as it has in the past… it passed Dunbar by 12 votes. Crazy.
A big question mark for everyone was Eastern Kanawha County.
This was a battle of the churches versus the unions for influence. And, it wasn’t good news for the unions. They continue to lose influence out there and it showed in this election. They simply couldn’t deliver the vote. They lost Eastern Kanawha County by a total of 800+ votes. Ouch. I don’t think there is any question Eastern Kanawha is no longer bound by the unions. In fact, Campbell’s Creek voted against the unions on this vote by a whopping 648-242. Wow, I know the Democrats cringe to hear this, but Campbell’s Creek and Belle are becoming nearly as sure a Republican vote as western Kanawha County…. not good news into the future for Democrats who count on these areas to get them through.
But, the difference in this election? The BIG difference in this election?
Yep, Cross Lanes.
Cross Lanes voted against Table Games. That wasn’t unexpected.
But, the margin was.
The unofficial totals?
AGAINST - 2,438
FOR - 2,081.
Wow. Now, there’s a number that shocks me. If you would have asked me before the election, I would have guessed Cross Lanes would have opposed it by more than 1,000 votes. But where did it end up? 350 votes? That didn’t cut it for the Vote No side.
And, who should take the credit for the Cross Lanes vote?
The campaign? Goodness no, this will no doubt go down as one of the worst run campaigns in West Virginia history. You outspend your opponent 10,000 to one and you have to wait weeks to find out if you actually won. I’m sure even the winners are whispering if they had to do it over again, they’d go in a different direction, the campaign nearly lost it for them.
The unions? Geez no. Their influence is nil in western Kanawha County.
Bonfire of the Vanities, The movie download Who’s to blame/take credit?
The track employees.
If Brackbill and Adkins need to congratulate someone, they should pat their employees on the back. Many live in Cross Lanes, and there is no doubt they reached into the community and pulled out many more votes than expected. They worked hard and deserve a lot of credit. There is nothing else to explain Cross Lanes vote totals.
From some of the people I spoke with down there, actually “job security” at the track was a driving issue in their vote which struck me as surprising. After all, there was never any mention during all the campaign commercials that a no vote meant the resort may close or cut back on jobs, but I do know the track employees preached it pretty hard that this was a way to insure they were able to keep their jobs (as well as add additional employees). So, if I were giving credit, I’d give it to the employees.
I had guessed that the election had broken toward the Vote No side. Normally, normally, especially in Kanawha County, as the last week of the election comes about, you can feel a “break” in the electorate toward one side or the other. I just assumed it would happen and certainly if it was breaking, it was going to break toward the momentum of the Vote No side. (I guess in theory it may have actually broken toward them, but they were futher behind at the beginning of the week than orginially thought.)
But, no one, no one, could have predicted what happened during election night. I am sure even the people who were saying it was going to be close were thinking 52-48 close, not 50.01-49.99 close.
So, we wait.
Of course while its little consolation to the Vote No crowd who worked they butts off, EVEN if they lose they should be proud. After all, they were outspent by over a million dollars and still ran the gamblers to the precipice. AND, there is still an outside shot they could pull it off.
And, looking ahead on the bright side, Kanawha’s vote total may have been the first shot across the bow of the elimination or significant reduction of mini-casinos in our state.
As devisive as this election was, it did bring one common theme together on both sides… that table games was not “as bad” as the blood-sucking, mini-casinos. And, that everyone on both sides of the issue could agree, if there was one form of gambling that must be eliminated, it was the cancer that is the mini-casino parlors.
Here’s hoping that the tracks will follow through with their comments in the paper and join with the anti-gamblers and remove this plague from our state.
Until then… well, until Friday at least… we wait.
-->
Loading...
40 Responses to “Kanawha Table Games Breakdown: Cross Lanes won it for the gamblers”
It is quite apparent u will not make it as a consultant as u have no vision in forcasting elections. This election is not over and still the NO\’s can win and u can take pride in being another out of state Pa resident who is interesintg in suppressing those of us who are true WV\’s!If u represent a promise to be politician who is desires to be an office holder- I want to be on the other side-and as u know I am a Republican & u will be a loser! U need to stick with being an engineer or whatever ur profession has not worked out to be an apparently that is not working. Vic- get a life & concentrate on the real world! Nelson—it is all urs now!!!!!
It is quite apparent u will not make it as a consultant as u have no vision in forcasting elections. This election is not over and still the NO’s can win and u can take pride in being another out of state Pa resident who is interesintg in suppressing those of us who are true WV’s!If u represent a promise to be politician who is desires to be an office holder- I want to be on the other side-and as u know I am a Republican & u will be a loser! U need to stick with being an engineer or whatever ur profession has not worked out to be an apparently that is not working. Vic- get a life & concentrate on the real world! Nelson—it is all urs now!!!!!
“This was a battle of the churches versus the unions for influence. And, it wasn’t good news for the unions. They continue to lose influence out there and it showed in this election. They simply couldn’t deliver the vote. They lost Eastern Kanawha County by a total of 800+ votes. ”
Not good news for Carper either, as he placed a strategic article in the Friday Daily Mail on how he and Capito got that traffic signal at Witcher. Apparently, the folks in Eastern Kan Co were supposed to side with him on this issue because of it.
I suspect his miniscule mention of the community wasn’t enough to endear the people to him.
I also hope that ALL of our political leaders in and for communities in Kanawha County will see this election for what it really is. A community feircely divided, not an “overwhelming” endorsement of this type of ‘economic development’.
Ummm…”true Wvians” being defined as…what? Democrats? Take-care-of-me-from-the-cradle-to-the-grave rednecks? Senator Sprouse has been a voice (lone at times) for true conservatism and many of us native WVians are 100% behind him. In fact, he has my vote if he ever decides to run for Governor. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
And Nelson, if you’re one of those Danny Jones/ so-called Republicans, just switch parties now and be done with it. We don’t want you.
The bottom line is this: if this shame of a referendum passes, it will only provide one more excuse for our so-called leaders to avoid doing what needs to be done–enacting REAL and MEANINGFUL tax reform, cuts, and elimination along with REAL and MEANINGFUL tort reform. The Kent Carpers and Danny Jones of the world will just thump their chests and say, “Look what we did for you, SHEEP.” Shameful, shameful, shameful. ..and shame on the voters of Kan. Co. for falling for this cop-out, B.S., illusion.
By BA:
Well, Cross Lanes residents may be saying “we got what we voted for!” in a couple years. More strip malls, more development at the one entrance to the Nitro Marketplace (If they can keep the businesses from sliding off their poor ground foundations!!), and more traffic (JUST what Cross Lanes’ infrastructure needs…).
OK - Danny Jones, when will you announce your plans to annex Cross Lanes into Charleston? Gee -
$2.00 a week X 6,000 workers? Hum…?
Hey Nelson, Learn to spell. What are you? 12 years old?
Vic, you should delete Nelson’s foolish rant…
If the recount goes in favor of the Casino, I have some advice for the residents of Cross Lanes: Get the best real estate broker that you can find and put your houses and businesses up for sale. UNLESS you want to live in “Sin City”. With all of those highpaying jobs, you should find a buyer right away. Extra traffic? You can bet you will be paying higher taxes for street repair, improved sewers, police protection. Your nice little residential area will be gone when the Casino comes in. We can hope the residents of Charleston who voted NO will remember Danny Jones at the next election. Of course, maybe Danny will be working at the Casino?
Its not over till its over! David versus Goliath! I made la lot of new friends & they worked from the Heart, our pay we hope will be next Friday! Its not over till the Fat Lady sings! If they win we should hold their feet to the fire & make sure they bring all our children back to WVa & live up to all their promises (lies)! Long live King Danny Jones their savor!
Why are we against jobs
Kent Carper in charge of the 546 ballots….hanging chads in FL ring a bell? He has been too outsopken on this issue to be incharge of this as tight as it is. My daughter is one of those ballots and it is a NO vote and I really doubt it will be counted.
I just hope all the people who voted No remember Kent Carper and racetrack spokesman Danny Jones come election time and vote No for them too.
Vic,
In reply to Nelson’s rant, is he saying that you can be from out of state and be considered a “true West Virginian” if you agree with him, but are a carpetbagger if you don’t? Let me see, I believe Robert C. Byrd alias “Big Daddy”, Jay Rockefeller and Bob Kiss are from out of state also.
Nelson, your true colors are coming out. Just admit that you dance to whatever tune you are told.
Russ
Vic,
In reply to Nelson’s rant, is he saying that you can be from out of state and be considered a “true West Virginian” if you agree with him, but are a carpetbagger if you don’t? Let me see, I believe Robert C. Byrd alias “Big Daddy”, Jay Rockefeller and Bob Kiss are from out of state also.
Nelson, your true colors are coming out. Just admit that you dance to whatever tune you are told.
Russ
All,
You should know that issues of morality have always been contested. In the end the people will vote with their pocketbooks just as they do for strip joints in the “Bad Lands.” Though the church may fight to remove the sinners; as long as the money comes in the sin will be there. If enough people disagree they will not spend their money and the business will fail.
Tristate Jobs aren’t real jobs! My brother would have to buy his uniform to be a security guard & be paid $6 an hour & employees aren’t allowed to gamble? My daughter lives in Arizona, her husand & her graduated from WVU, cost a lot of money, the best they could do in WVa was working at a Pizza Place & the dog track? Cost them over a $130,000 a year to get 4 years of education, they HAVE their own business & are doing great! That wouldn’t happen in WVa, unless your daddy knows someone in tne right places! 1,000 jobs at Tri_staTe, we want real jobs like in other states, we are last in everthing! many of my frienDs went thru the Same thing with THEIR children! Mayor work with the business in WVa & help them to expand! Fairfax, Va seems to do great! Keep the faith, I believe on Friday we will win, I trust Vera, I don’t know about the rest, sinse they are yes people!
Correction it cost them $65,000 each for 4 years education each! Sorry, got carried away!
This Nelson Robinson doesn’t make sense. In the lobbyist directory put out by the Ethics Commission, there is a Nelson Robinson listed (he has dark, greasy looking hair and an overbite). Is this the same person? It says he lobbies for gambling interests.
A google search reveals that Nelson Robinson is the head of the WV Community & Technical College Council–and check out his poor grammar! He oversees higher education in West Virginia?
I suspect that is not the real Nelson Robinson.
Thank you Nelson Robinson for clarifying your level of intellectual functioning - so we can all now just ignore the jibberish you spout as opposed to actually taking the time to read it. We can also rest more comfortably knowing that a person who sits in a position of leadership in our higher education system can’t spell, has poor grammar and diction, and has a vipid personality directed at all of those who are not native born West Virginians - Nelson, are you trying to affirm the old notion that, “…true West Virginians” are illiterate and ignorant? - if so, GOOD JOB!!!!…The challenged ballots may very well flip the totals again as many poll workers came from those areas who carried the “No” vote…It will be interesting. In 155 ballots counted the, “No” side gained 27 votes and cut the margin from 60 down to 33 - transposed over 300 counted ballots this could be a dead heat forcing a recount. This could also be a win-win - the gamblers get Tri-State and the social conservatives get the elimination of the video slot parlors as every major politician in Kanawha County has stated that they are, “the real problem…” - now can we just hold them to that at the next legislative session. The pro-gambling side can hardly call this a clear victory - it sure as hell wasn’t a, “mandate from the people”…The other question remains as to whether Carper, Jones, and the legislative dems will hold Tri State accountable to the promises of 1000 “high paying jobs” and a, “$250 million dollar investment”….
Should the city and county officials and the legislature decide to eliminate the local street corner gambling parlors I wonder who would be the happiest? The local residents would be happy, 2 $ Danny would be happy because it would make him look great, and he could care less because the city does not get a penny of B&O tax from the machine revenue.
The happiest folks would be the Tri State Casino, Racino, Resort, Dog Track, Destination tourist attraction, Money pit for Hartman/Tyner; the local competition would have been eliminated.
Sounds like a great plan!!
In response to Billy Keen’s question, “Why are we against jobs?”, no one is against jobs. I am, however, against giving local elected leaders yet another excuse not to enact badly-needed and long overdue economic reforms. If WV eliminated the food, gas, and sales tax, reduced the income tax, eliminated the B&O tax, and enacted tough tort reform, there would be a whole lot more than 1,000 new jobs created over time.
WV is, or we SHOULD be, better than to hitch our economic wagon to gambling. Gambling has never brought anything positive to any community except money, and hopefully the people of Kan. Co. aren’t whores (although it now seems about 50% of us are). There are better, more effective ways to bring jobs to WV and Kan. Co.
It is THE Nelson Robinson.
Tri-State spent much more than a million dollars on this campaign.
Seriously, let’s think about this, Don Blankenship spent somewhere around 3 million bucks on the 06 campaign. He bought 45,000 t-shirts but rumor has it the Track bought 60,000. And for the sake of the Kids sent out tons of literature, but Tri-State sent out more.
Besides, Blankenship didn’t have a plane. Tri-State did.
It’s safe to say Tri-State spent as much as Don. I personally think they spent twice what he spent, something like 6 million and I’d always heard they had 8 million stashed away for this campaign.
If my estimates are correct than VOTE NO was out spent 600 to 1. It makes me chuckle that Tri-State spent all that money buying Legislators, Mayors, Commissioners, Police and Fire Chiefs, and voters, to reach an unsure result.
Kent Carper is now trying to have the 155 early votes thrown out. Surprise!
No matter who wins this vote, we can all agree that Kent Carper, Danny Jones, and many Legislators lost. Those involved with this campaign have vowed to remove these people from office and this time they won’t have the Dog Tracks backing.
William,
God help us if this is THE Nelson Robinson, this guy sounds more like the demented little gnome “Smeagol” from “Lord of the Rings” than he does a leader in higher education in West Virginia!!
Who can you trust anymore? Can you trust our elected officials, whom the majority had voted in the legislature to place an issue for a special election that is unconstitutional to our citizens? Can you trust the governor, who didn’t veto the bill and send it back to include all 55 counties to vote rather than 4? Can you trust those who run the election? We have seen a seesaw effect with the tallies of the votes and come to find out that some voted who weren’t even registered, some voted in the wrong precinct and others’ votes were not even counted on election night and were discovered two days later. Carper says (According to A.P.) “These votes were not secured pursuant to state law.” I wonder if he would have had a different tune if the citizens of that precinct had voted overwhelming for table games rather than against.
64 uncounted early votes found this morning from a Sissonville precinct. That area went about 70-30 against the proposal.
About the unregistered voters voting, Carper says it happens every election. They let them vote to avoid problems at the polls. The votes are not counted in the canvass.
It is amazing…the “votes” mysteriously found and/or uncounted…The canvass will be closely scrutinized and I would bet that, with at least $1 million spent (that’s $44.44 per vote), the folks at Tri-State are getting nervous. I would imagine that Carper is nervous as he has touted his pro-gambling stance and “gambled” on a wide yes margin win…he gambled wrong. The gambling issue will soon be decided, but the fate of the politicos who backed it what is now in doubt. Those who opposed this referendum will hold the 1000 “high paying” jobs promise and the $250 million investment over the heads of Carper and Jones and, if Tri-State doesn’t deliver, the next energized movement will be to remove them from office. Hoppy Shores, who voted for Carper’s “Resolution” may be the first political casualty…Danny has over three (3) more years to shake this one off - he just needs to start annexing quickly as the planned, “convention center” will directly compete with the city of Charleston’s Civic Center and the hotel will take away from the city’s tax base…”penny-wise / pound-foolish”…I have to say one more thing about Mr. Robinson - go back to school and learn how to write…your community and technical colleges offer the remedial programs…they are ENG 098 and ENG 099 on your scheduleing brochures…My God man - get hooked on phonics or something…
from Nancy… Thanks for all you have done during the campaign against gambling expansion.
Your columns have motivated me to continue working in the Vote No efforts.
And, they have also made me laugh and smile. Your sense of humor is a gift. Thanks for sharing with us.
Tom Miller is exactly right about voters holding Jones’ and Carper’s feet to the fire…I hope.
People forget so quickly.
I think that the Secretary of State ought to jump into this election and take possession of these uncounted ballots and help sort out what ballots are legal and which are not. I don’t think hat Betty Ireland is too busy to do this and I think by law that she should be able to do it, it is the Secretary of State’s job to oversee elections. I don’t feel comfortable having (pro gambling)Co. Comm. Carper guard these ballots. Why don’t County Clerks do their jobs and teach poll workers what they are supposed to do and not to do concerning ballots. We have election problems here in Berk Co. with defective voting machines because the Clerk won’t get off his butt and make sure the machines are working correctly.
I dont understand why gambling is a republican vs. democrat issue?…the only thing I can think of is that it is all about the bible thumpers/extreme right wingers who have unfortunately taken over the party. I am a republican and a christian and am, frankly, embarrased by the whole thing.
“Thomp”, no Christian should ever be ashamed of people that live by the Holy Bible. As far as being extreme, Jesus was extreme in his beliefs. He threw the money changers out of the temple, remember? I am ashamed of the people in this area that care more about money than they do the immorality their children will be exposed to by the gambling interests. Las Vegas and Atlantic City are what the gambling group call successful communities. Immorality, sin, and crime thrive where gambling is king. Those 1000 jobs they tout, are not jobs I would want my children to work at. Mayor Jones and Kent Carper are prostitutes to the gambling industry. Thye should be ashamed of placing money over decency.
David versus Goliath! We have laid the ground work for the grass roots! Danny Jones, Kent Carper, Governor Manchin should be remembered & voted out of office! by the way we are Democrats, Republicans, atheist, christians, veterans, woman, men, old, young, etc. in the no group! I believe the Secretary State should remove Kent Carper from anything that has to do with the vote count!
33 votes difference is a Close Call!
I personally don’t see this expansion as a moral issue. There is already gambling at the track and it is not going to go away. I have been to the track maybe 3 times since it has opened and I live in Cross Lanes. I have had the opportunity to visit other casinos in other parts of the country (mostly for the buffets) and based on my observations, most people prefer the one armed bandits. You just don’t see a lot of elderly or (at the risk of sterotyping) people who just don’t look like they can afford to lose a lot, at the tables…but most of them don’t seem to have a problem feeding nickels or quarters into machines, but balk at the $5 or $10 per hand games. On the “moral” side, I can’t help but wonder why the church that Jack built didn’t turn down the money since it came from gambling. The environmentalists are doing their best to destroy the coal and chemical industry, so where a people supposed to look for work??? Are any of the churches plannning any mass hirings, with benefits, soon??
What is this “tort reform” I keep hearing about?
My wife and I visit the track maybe four times a year. I have never seen any drugs, drunks, prostitutes, or misconduct there. We both have a hundred dollars to loose, and when its gone we go have a nice dinner and go home. I hope the re-count passes, I hate driving to Cincinnati to river boats. I also find it funny that the NO voter people are putting up money “Betting” that someone at the Board of Elections counted wrong.
Thanks,
Tri-State Greyhound Park is a great facility. People in Crosslanes should be happy they have it, I wish it was in Kentucky. I don’t think people there understand how much revenue it brings into the community. I live in Kentucky and come to Crosslanes several times each year to attend the races at Tri-State. Many people come to the Crosslanes area and spend money on motels,food, etc.. I am looking forward to the addition of table games and the expansion of the facility. Crosslanes will become a great tourist destination and the area will reap the benefits.