BALLOT OVERLOAD
Dual citizens mired in voter paperwork.
There are few good excuses for not voting, but after seeing my ballot for the U.S. presidential election, I’m starting to sympathize with Americans who choose to just stay home.
Thanks to my Michigander mother, I’m an American citizen born abroad, and I only recently learned I can vote in federal elections despite the fact I was born in Canada and have never had an American address. I didn’t expect to be allowed to vote on state or local matters as well — I pretty much figured my ballot would say “Choose one — Barack Obama/Mitt Romney.”
Then I opened it. It’s four pages long.
I’m being asked to make a choice on six state ballot proposals and 26 offices. There are candidates for the school board, Wayne State University governor and Midland County drain commissioner ( luckily that one’s easy — only one person wants to be drain commissioner. I’m sure Republican Douglas D. Enos will do a fine job).
There are a lot of other American and dual citizens living in the Windsor region and many of them are eligible for a Michigan ballot, too. Here’s the good news: you can, and should, vote.
The bad news, though, is after you figure out the absentee voter process, your work still won’t be done — you’ll have to educate yourself and make an informed choice. Here’s a guide to help you figure out how.
Step One: Register. Michiganders can register right up until election day on Nov. 6, but some states have earlier deadlines. Make sure to leave plenty of time for your ballot to arrive and for mailing it in. Even if you’ve voted from abroad before, you have to register every time.
I highly recommend votefromabroad.org. It’s run by Democrats Abroad, but you don’t have to be or vote Democrat to use it. Just go to the site, enter some basic information and it will automatically fill out your registration form and give you the mailing address. If some spaces are left blank, that’s because your state doesn’t require that information.
Then wait patiently for your ballot to arrive by email or regular mail, depending on what you choose as a preference.
Step Two: Select your candidates. Overwhelmed by the number of offices and candidates? Here are some suggestions for making it simpler.
In the top left corner, there’s a box titled “Straight party ticket.” If you know which party you support, choose it. You’ve automatically voted for the candidate from that party for every office.
In addition, if you don’t want to vote for every single local office, you don’t have to. Just select the offices you want to vote for and leave the rest blank.
If you’re worried about your tax status being affected by voting, don’t be. Voting in a federal election alone can’t be used to determine residency for tax purposes, but the Vote from Abroad website warns that the Internal Revenue Service could decide that if you voted for state and local offices, you’re a resident who’s subject to state and local taxes.
Tom Luitje, an elections specialist for the Michigan Department of State, said Michigan voters abroad don’t need to worry — there’s no way for the IRS to match your ballot to your name.
“They’re not going to know what you voted for on that ballot. Your ballot is completely anonymous,” he said.
Step Three: Vote on the ballot proposals. This is the most confusing part, and there’s no “straight party ticket” option here. You may be tempted to just leave these blank, too, but at least one of them directly affects Windsorites and if we have a right to a voice, we should exercise it.
“CHOOSE ONE — BARACK OBAMA/ MITT ROMNEY.” THEN I OPENED IT. IT’S FOUR PAGES LONG.”
CLAIRE BROWNELL
If, like me, you’ve only ever voted in Canadian elections, these ballot proposals will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen. In Michigan, anyone who collects enough signatures on a petition can put a proposal to change or enact a law, or amend the state constitution, on the ballot. If a majority of people vote for it, it becomes law — the legislature can repeal or change it with a threequarters super-majority, but proposed changes have to go to the voters again in the next election.
The proposal Windsorites are probably most familiar with is Proposal Six: “A proposal to amend the state constitution regarding construction of international bridges and tunnels.” That’s the Matty Moroun proposal to try to stop the Detroit River International Crossing bridge.
The proposed constitutional amendment isn’t just about DRIC, though — if passed, the amendment would require politicians to get voter approval for any new international crossing ever built, with some DRIC supporters arguing it would prevent the government from building any new bridges or tunnels at all without sending voters to the polls.
The Bridge Company argues it gives power back to the people after Governor Rick Snyder bypassed the legislature on DRIC, using an inter-local agreement to get the project green-lighted instead.
Proposal five is another Moroun-backed initiative, requiring a two-thirds majority in the house and senate or a statewide popular vote to add new taxes or raise existing ones.
Proposals two and four are about collective bargaining rights, with proposal two being an attempt by unions to nip “right-to-work” laws in the bud. Any such law would have a big impact on the recovering auto industry, which, of course, affects Windsor’s economy as well.
Proposal three would require utilities to source one-quarter of their electricity from renewable energy.
Proposal one is the only initiative that’s a referendum on a law, not a constitutional amendment. The law in question is the state emergency manager law, which authorizes the governor to appoint someone to take over power from local officials in the event of a financial crisis, such as the one Detroit is facing.
Most voters will be rushed into choosing “yes” or “no” on these proposals at the ballot box, but us absentee voters have the luxury of time. Take that time to study them carefully.
It’s important to not only think about whether you support the proposal itself, but whether the state really needs a constitutional amendment to deal with the issue — the constitution is supposed to be just a basic guide.
Step Four: Mail your ballot. Congratulations! You just had a say in the future of the most powerful country in the world.
He was walking the dog when he noticed the pain in his chest.
Mario Carnevale was at one end of the leash and his big Bernese Mountain Dog puppy was pulling at the other.
“About three-quarters the way through the walk, I started breathing heavily and getting chest pains.”
It was August 2009. Carnevale was 52 at the time and a TypeA personality at work and play, which made him a prime candidate for heart trouble.
A lawyer by day, Carnevale in his off hours tended to a community theatre company, 12.13 Productions, which was just starting to get off the ground.
The combined stress took its toll. He was juggling a full caseload at work, taking on the picky details of keeping the theatre group going, and dealing with a marriage that was collapsing.
But he didn’t take the warning signs seriously at first.
“The first couple of times it happened,” he said, “I kind of ignored it. But it happened again and I called the doctor.”
He underwent stress tests, which came back inconclusive. “My knees would buckle but I told the doctors that was because I’ve always had bad knees.”
He wasn’t ready to face up to it. The tests took the better part of a year, Carnevale making the trip back and forth to London’s University Hospital.
“Then they decided to do an angiogram. That was in September of 2010, and they found three clogged arteries and the chance of a fourth.”
He was booked for surgery right away, but begged off for a few weeks while he got things in order at home.
His law partner, Dana Cranker, took on most of the cases and some of his lawyer friends handled the rest.
The theatre group, meanwhile, was in rehearsals for its Christmas show, A Christmas Story, which Carnevale was directing.
“I had to put the surgery off until January (2011),” he said. “The doctors weren’t too happy.”
He was accustomed to meeting deadlines at work and in the theatre. But the adrenalin of putting the finishing touches on the play and the renewed energy he was experiencing with the drugs he was prescribed had him thinking maybe he could put off the hospital visit.
“I was riding high,” said Carnevale, “The play got a great reception. We had sold out school shows. I was getting lots of attention.
“And then I had to go into the hospital.”
The surgery was a success, but Carnevale ended up spending 10 days at University Hospital because of complications from diabetes and arrhythmia.
“It’s ironic because University Hospital was right next to my residence at Western (University),” he said.
“I used to go through the lobby to go to class and often I ate my lunch there. I remember thinking if I ever had health problems, this is where I’d want to go.”
Carnevale grew up in Leamington and attended Western for his BA. He did his law degree at the University of Windsor, graduating in 1982. He has lived in Windsor ever since.
While he lay in the hospital bed, he made plans to get right back to work.
“They told me it would be six to eight weeks of recovery time. It was more like six to eight months, and I still get tired today.”
Carnevale had to put everything on hold. His fledgling theatre company was under threat.
“We had to back out of the lease for our rehearsal space because it was looking like we might not use it again.”
It has been nearly two years since 12.13’s last show and more than 18 months since the last serious stage work was done. But Carnevale is feeling strong enough to have booked a Christmas show, It’s a Wonderful Life, at the Capitol Theatre in December. “A lot of people think I’m crazy to get back into it now,” he said. “But this is something that has been in my blood since 2001.”
That was the year he took his son Robert to an audition at Theatre Windsor. Robert was 12 at the time and had attended Theatre Alive’s summer acting camp.
“He got the lead in Sword in the Stone,” Carnevale said. “The following year, he was picked to be the beast in Beauty and The Beast.”
Not content playing stage dad, Carnevale leaped into theatre in a big way. First, it was backstage work with Theatre Windsor. Later, he served on the board of directors, eventually rising to president. He also directed several shows.
“You never have money in community theatre,” he said. “It’s all volunteer work and getting your hands dirty. I enjoy it.”
In 2009, Carnevale decided to break ties with Theatre Windsor and set out on his own. About the same time, he produced an independent movie shot in Windsor, Whatever It Was. “I’ve got the theatre bug,” he admitted. “I keep telling people there is no better feeling than at the end of the show and you walk on stage to the applause of an audience. Once you’ve experienced that, you want to experience it again and again.”
After the imposed hiatus from the theatres of court and stage, Carnevale is anxious to get back into action.
He has resumed most of his law practice, and 12.13 Productions has an ambitious schedule with the Christmas show in December, Driving Miss Daisy next February, and the company’s first musical, The Full Monty, in May and June.
“I’m still not 100 per cent,” Carnevale said. “I thought I’d never have the energy to do theatre again.
“I mean, I was worried I might not even have the energy to do my job.”
This drama, however, appears to have a happy ending.