As promised, here’s some analysis of Tuesday’s city election:

Sadly there isn’t much to say about the results because nothing much has changed. The people of LaFayette (those who vote anyway) said overwhelmingly that they’re happy with the way things are. Those who voted for the status quo will get exactly that, and they deserve it – but the rest of us who voted against the city’s stagnant leadership will be dragged along with them.

7:49 PM UPDATE:

We’ll try to post results of today’s vote as soon as we can. When I voted around dinner time the poll workers said they haven’t been rushed but the pace has been steady all day; that’s better than how these off-year city elections usually go. Channel 9 was shooting video and interviewing voters, should see some footage tonight at 11 on their newscast.

10:12 PM UPDATE:

Fox 61 used some of the Ch. 9 video in their 10 PM news. Reporter said results aren’t in yet (as we well know) but it “broke a record” for turnout for an off-year city election. That probably doesn’t mean much, but interest is definitely high.

10:42 PM UPDATE:

Results are in. Liquor loses by 22 votes. City council and mayor remain unchanged, Neal Florence wins his next 4 year term with a margin greater than 2:1. Kenneth Maples will be the new city judge, winning by 46 votes.

Analysis coming soon…

The typical off-year election, a minor kludge of non-partisan, mostly uncontested, city and county positions, generates little to no political heat. But this year’s off-year vote has LaFayette voters worked up like never before because of a non-binding referendum to allow liquor by the drink.

The two sides of this issue, generally speaking, are residents who present it as an opportunity to restore the city to past glory, and churches and their members who oppose the referendum as a moral problem. But both sides are wrong about the issue in several ways.