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I don't know if there's a ton of strategic voting going on.
Tom's were pretty straight forward, and I doubt very off from what will end up being the majority of voters. He hit seven of the eight new major candidates, and the three people left over from last year that he voted for were the #1 and #2 remaining vote getters from that ballot along with a three time Murphy winner (though Stell's support isn't strong as he was #8 last year among those who didn't get in).
Chris' votes are his typical idiosyncratic ones. Still, he did hit six of the eight major new candidates, and his remaining 4 had the #3, #5 and #6 returners along with also ran Bud.
Mine also had six of the new 8. My balance had the #1, #4, #7 and #8 returners along with Stell like Tom. They happen to be guys that I've always supported, whereas I've never voted for Arsenault or Tito Jr., and as mentioned last year, I'm not yet totally sold on Lex Tjeenk-Willink (especially on to the point of voting for over a three time Murph winner).
If there was any "strategy" on my part, it was in leaving Perry off my ballot in favor of Lonny and Luther. I thought/think that Perry will have enough support to stay on the ballot for next year, and that with 5 or so of the new guys getting cleared off the ballot, he'll gain support over time and go in. I didn't think the support for Lonny would fall off so much that he'd fall off the ballot, but you never know with this type of first year class. Dittos Luther.
There is going to be a fair number of lower level guys falling off. In addition to Arsenault and Moe heading to the VC (since neither is going to get elected this year), guys like the various B's (the two Buds, Bullet, Biff, Samoa Ben and Bobby Johnson) are at risk of falling off the ballot.
Stew, Lieb & Helton come next year. Coming up after them in a few years are Lemmings and Whitt, and then things start to dry up a bit. That's when someone like Perry or Makris look to make a case to get in.
John
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