TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

LOCAL NEWS OF INTEREST

• Voter apathy, confusion led to Jefferson's loss, expert says (By Frank Donze and Michelle Krupa, Times Picayune) Nearly half the decline came in the heavily black areas of the district, the review shows. Given that those precincts are Jefferson's base of support, the huge decrease in these areas prevented him from winning his 10th term, Chervenak said.
• The Blog Watch (Sacramento Bee) Welcome to the Capitol – now get out: It's not Republican legislators he needs to court – it is Republican voters, constituents of Republican legislators. They're the ones who can force the obstructionists to give way to common sense and dire economic necessity.
• Orange County's Vietnamese American political scene comes of age (By My-Thuan Tran, LA Times) Vietnamese have historically voted largely Republican, identifying with the party's historic anti-Communist stance, Vo said, though the number of Vietnamese Democrats and voters who decline to state parties has increased.
• Other views: Good idea out of California (Joplin Globe) The 2008 election was largely an election of reform, and much of the outrage this year has been focused on Washington earmarks. But gerrymandering, too, deserves more attention throughout the union. The practice is used unashamedly by both parties.
• How much will race be a factor? (by Staten Island Advance) Still, as the only borough in New York City without a minority representative on any level of government, the diversity of this field speaks to a new sense of possibility here, observers say.
• Viola Plummer Joins Assemblywoman Inez Barron's Staff (posted by Mary Alice Miller, Room Eight) Elected officials in attendance at the events were Judge Geraldine Picket, Assembly members Annette Robinson, Karim Camara, and Michael Gianaris, State Senators Eric Adams and Bill Perkins, Council members Letitia James, Bill DiBlasio, and Eric Gioia. Others who came to witness Ms. Barron's oath were family members and a variety of community leaders: Dr. James McIntosh, Faye Moore (Local 371 Public Sector Social Service Workers), David Galarza (CSEA Local 1000), Ms. Ollie McClean, Dr. Ron Daniels and his wife Mary France, Sam Anderson, Kevin Powell, Stan Kinard and his wife Tulani (candidate for the 41st Council seat), Bob Law, Dr. Lenora Fulani, and Brenda Walker.