Cracks in the Cause or Severe Voter Apathy - the Santa Clara DSA Results Are In

There has been much innuendo and rumor going around. Some claim it's just dirty politics, others claim it's the result of a cloud of fear covering the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office resulting in many taking the path of anonymity to voice concerns of serious cracks in the cause threatening to become crevasses.

With the Sheriff obligated to garner no cause but her own during an election season, and the deputies clearly refusing to step out into the light, for whatever reason, to discuss any facet of the subject, we're left to extract what we are able from the facts we can access.

We've recently found out several facts that were of interest to the cause of attempting to bring some truth to light. For some reason this information has not made its way out into the light of day.

Firstly, the Santa Cruz DSA did indeed vote to support Richard Calderon as rumor has it. This is interesting since Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties are two adjoining counties that would seemingly have a good mutual aid/mutual support relationship. They clearly feel something is lacking enough in the current configuration that they were unable to endorse the incumbent.

Next up, Sheriff Smith has won the endorsement of her own department's DSA. This information is now over a week old and considering the much argued beliefs and support of her personnel, we thought this odd. No Mercury News editorial saying "we told you so" and no other public announcement, but the endorsement did quietly slip onto her campaign site sometime in the past 48 hours.

Given these oddities, our curiosity got the best of us again. We did some digging into the vote and we found a source willing to provide the numbers. Of the 460+ DSA members, a total of 162 (~35%) actually submitted a vote. Of those votes, none voted Monica, 4 voted for Charvez , 32 voted for Calderon and 7 for no endorsement. This is equivalent to a little under 10% of the eligible voters. The Sheriff's efforts at fostering a team spirit where her personnel know she's behind them seems to be missing the mark, only getting her 119 votes, or slightly over 25% of the entire DSA voting body. This is hardly a resounding endorsement for a woman who at one time managed to get a unanimous vote from this Deputy Sheriff's Association.

We can construe many things from these numbers and facts, some of which may be correct and others incorrect, so we'll avoid the more dramatic of the possibilities and keep it simple. At best, we can ascertain a sense of apathy amongst the department in regards to voting, which could have any number of causes. Couple that apathy with a sense that the Sheriff did not want to run to the public with the win so many seemed to be claiming she couldn't or shouldn't get slaps a question mark on the end of any thought I have on the subject.

I do know any way you cut it when looking at a law enforcement officer, the last thing you want to see is apathy. Is this the level of involvement the current Sheriff incites in her staff? Do they not care for any of the candidates? Then why didn't they vote their non-committal choice of "no endorsement" if that's the case? If they support the Sheriff, why not toss a simple envelope in the mail? If they don't support the Sheriff, same thing -- envelope to mail box? It seems the DSA results have left us with as many questions as before, failing to give the public a decisive candidate based on the desires of the very people in that office and refusing to end the battle of rumors and claims between those in the shadows and the Sheriff.

The Dept of Corrections recently had their Q&A night with the candidates, as addressed in the previous article. It is our understanding that their Association has yet to complete their voting process. We're not sure if we'll be able to bring the numbers to you when that vote happens, but we'll make every attempt to bring accurate and accountable information if we're able to gain access.