MA Election Results

Massachusetts held special elections to fill two vacancies in the State House of Representatives, and the RESULTS have been posted.

Fortunately it included a big win for Massachusetts bikers. This is a perfect example of how a small number of campaign volunteers can have a huge impact on elections.

House - 12th Bristol District:
Repeal supporter Keiko Orrall won the general election by 374 votes.

House - 3rd Berkshire District:
Anti-repeal Tricia Farley-Bouvier won the Democratic primary by 196 votes. She'll now face repeal supporter Mark Jester on OCT 18.

Many thanks and hearty congratulations to all volunteers, especially Rick G and the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association members who turned out in strength.

Results Count

(NOTE: This is a reprint of the original 2009 article.)

This weekend there were two very different biker events on both sides of the Potomac River, in Maryland and Virginia.

Helmet law repeal was the primary goal of each one. In comparing these two events, they provide a perfect example of potential vs. actual power in the world of biker activism.

One event was a large rally in Maryland, with about 200 bikers protesting the helmet law. We started out with hot coffee, listened to some good speeches, and then rode along beautiful country roads on a warm Sunday afternoon. Once we got to Annapolis, we circled the state capitol, and then gathered at our destination for food, music, and solidarity.

The other event had just 2 bikers, riding through the Virginia suburbs. No music, no food, no speeches. Just two bikers ... with campaign yard signs strapped to their luggage racks, each with a list of a dozen delivery addresses.

It would seem like the Maryland event had the most impact. It took a lot of work to set up, and it brought together hundreds of activists with a common purpose. We stood together, and we rode together. Everyone in downtown Annapolis heard our thunder, and we turned lots of heads.

But what were the results?

Did Maryland bikers get one step closer to helmet law repeal? There was a tremendous amount of potential ... with about 800 man-hours of activity over the course of a few hours. It's hard to know for sure, but it seemed like it did.

Only time will tell.

Over on the Virginia side of the river, those two bikers met at the campaign headquarters of a state delegate. He was running for reelection in a very tight race. He was also a member of the House Transportation Committee. Those two bikers spoke with him for about 15 minutes, while they were each loading campaign signs onto their bikes.

In the course of their conversation, the delegate thanked the bikers for helping him in his time of need, and he offered to sponsor legislation to repeal the helmet law. The bikers were happy to hear his offer, but let him know that their top priority was the immediate task of getting him reelected.

Then they rode their separate ways, going house to house through the Virginia suburbs, delivering campaign signs to voters who had requested them. And in so doing ... they were delivering votes to the delegate.

But what were the results?

Did Virginia bikers get one step closer to helmet law repeal? There was just a tiny amount of effort ... with only about four man-hours of activity that Friday afternoon. Not thousands, or even a dozen. But it wasn't potential power.

It was actual power ... because it produced results.

Yes, Virginia bikers got one step closer to repeal. It was actually more like several steps:
1. They helped the reelection campaign of a biker-friendly candidate.
2. They earned the gratitude of a member of the House Transportation Committee.
3. They cultivated a personal relationship with a legislator.
4. And they got themselves a bill sponsor. Cha-ching!

Most biker activists follow the traditional approach. And they've been doing it for so long, they're actually starting to get good at it. RepealMachine.com will keep trying to earn their support, because they represent a tremendous amount of potential. We want to kick it up a notch and make it REAL.

So if you want to bridge the gap between what's potential and what's actual biker power, you are headed in the right direction. Take that extra step. We need you just as much as you need us.

So come and join our network, and you can start by clicking on the red  SUBSCRIBE  tab at the top of RepealMachine.com. Together we'll do more than just talk about repeal. We'll get results, too.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

PS: Special thanks to Robin McGlohn and Bob Seoane for making a difference.

Biker Make-Over

We bikers have an image problem.

Not to the public, or even to ourselves. It's how the politicians see us that needs improvement.

Right now, legislators see us as an entertaining little group of people who make a lot of noise, but don't have any real impact on their political world. so they ignore us.

As a voting block, bikers are what strategists call an "acceptable loss." We're a tiny fraction of the voting public. The issues we care about most (our rights) aren't even on the radar for most people ... politicians included.

We can't change that perception by being better bikers. Poker runs and charity drives won't do the trick. Even traditional biker politics, like protesting or lobbying, fall short of delivering what we need: Political Power.

The only way we can get out of the ditch is to change direction. That means we have to change ourselves before we can ever expect to change anything else.

While politicians may overlook bikers, they are firmly fixated on campaign workers. They're the lifeblood of any successful political campaign. Politicians can always get elected without the help of bikers. But they could never hope to win office without campaign volunteers.

If you want to become a campaign volunteer, start by clicking on the red  SUBSCRIBE  tab at the top of the page. That's the first step on the road to freedom.

The rest is up to you.

NY Election Results

New York held special elections to fill six vacancies in the State Assembly, and the RESULTS have been posted.

There isn't much to report on, other than the names of the winning candidates and their winning percentages. I'm not aware of any bikers who were involved with the campaigns, and I never got any word on which candidates support or oppose repeal.

Fortunately, New York is one of several states that seem to have frequent special elections. While this latest opportunity came and went without any noticeable activist involvement, there will always be more special elections in the future.

When that happens, I'll let you know.

VA Election Results

Now that the AUG 23 primary races have run and the RESULTS are posted, Virginia is now headed to the general election.

Like New Jersey, Virginia holds elections in the odd years. But unlike New Jersey, bikers in Virginia are involved in political campaigns. That makes a difference that becomes apparent when the legislative session rolls around.

All the Virginia candidates for the State Senate and House of Delegates are listed under the white  ELECTIONS  tab (above). Then click on the VIRGINIA RACES link to see them all.

Green candidates support some type of repeal. Click on their name to visit their campaign website and then VOLUNTEER. That's the whole reason for this entire website. And it's also the key to getting your rights back.

Red candidates say "no way" on any type of repeal. Just pass them by. Or if they have a Green opponent, help the biker-friendly candidate beat them. Get started by clicking on that candidate's name.

Yellow means they've been asked, and we're either waiting to hear back, or they haven't come down on one side or the other.

Gray means they haven't been contacted for their repeal position yet. That's another place where you can help ... by asking them yourself. We can't help our friends win if we don't know who they are.

A little political activism now -- during the campaign season -- sure beats a lot of begging and pleading during the legislative session. How and when you spend your time is up to you, but the result will speak for itself.

Shake It Up

The world of politics is constantly in motion.

Normally this involves various pieces of legislation that are moving up through the capitol. Then, as the election season approaches, all the attention shifts to the candidates who are popping up all over the place to run for office.

This year it's a little different.

Thanks to the 2010 Census, virtually all of our political district boundaries are changing. From the US congress to the city council, "Who's in what district?" is a good question. This is especially true for state legislative districts all across the country, as well as the politicians who are holding those offices.

Sometimes seats open up when new districts are created, which means a level playing field among fresh candidates. And at other times, incumbents find themselves running against each other, fighting to be the last one standing when all the motion stops.

The good news for bikers is that the more boundaries change, the more pro-repeal candidates we can help get elected. And, it means the more nanny-crat legislators we can kick out of office. When it comes to changing district boundaries, there are always winners and losers.

Our job is to find the best opportunities in this rapidly changing political landscape. As long as we're ready to pounce, we'll make some serious progress towards the one thing that will restore our right to decide: A legislative majority.

Want to shake things up? See you on the campaign trail.