Candidate’s voting record questioned

East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Councilman Joel Boé is taking issue with his opponent Ted Rush’s voting record — or lack thereof.

Rush, a Republican business owner, admitted to the parish Republican Party last week he had never voted in any election, after initially telling an Advocate reporter that he had voted previously.

“Council members are elected into these positions to make votes on behalf of the district and the people we represent,” Boé said. “I would not personally want to have someone represent me who has never voted ever before, even in larger presidential or governor’s races and not to mention smaller tax elections.”

Asked twice about his voting record, Rush said he had voted before but could not recall which elections he had participated in. However, searches of state wide and parish voter records revealed no voting record for Rush.

“I have voted, I just didn’t vote in the last (presidential) election because I didn’t like anybody in the president race,” Rush said in an interview earlier this month. He also said he had recently changed his address from a different area in East Baton Rouge Parish, which is why his voting record might not be available.

But Thursday, Rush admitted to the parish Republican Party at a meeting seeking an endorsement that he had never voted.

“During the course of the exchange, he said he had something to reveal — that while he had been registered to vote for many years, he had never voted,” said Woody Jenkins, chairman of the Republican Party. “I asked him why, and he said he never thought it would make any difference, but that now he understood as a result of his experiences how important it is to be involved in politics.”

Rush said on Tuesday the reason he initially said he’d voted in the earlier interviews was because he thought he may have several decades ago, but after checking into it, realized he hadn’t.

He also said he didn’t think his lack of voting would be a major issue for voters in his district.

Boé, who is seeking his second term in office, has voted in 20 elections between 2003 and 2012, according to records from the Secretary of State’s office.

The two will face in the Nov. 6 primary. Early voting begins Oct. 23.

Comments

1) Comment by Being_Stupid - 17/10/2012

Somebody from the Media needs to ask Joel Boé why he has such a problem with Ted Rush building a pond on his own property?

2) Comment by Being_Stupid - 17/10/2012

Interesting the small number of politically amateur folks entering the local political arena because their property rights have been violated by local government. We have two amateurs (Mese & Myers) with absolutely no political experience running for Mayor-President, who both have had their property rights violated by local government due to stupid ordinances in the Unified Development Code. Mese's prime motivation for running is to reform the Unified Development Code, and Myers' main platform is to protect property rights and rid the city of ordinances concerning rental property.. Ted Rush also has had his brush with strong arm government violating his property rights too. Ted's motivation for running stems from the fact that Joel Boe passed an ordinance aimed specifically at Ted to prevent him from building a pond on his own property. Can't build a pond on your own property? People can laugh and say these amateur candidates do not matter, but this is a warning sign. Property Rights are rapidly deteriorating in East Baton Rouge Parish. May not affect you now, but sooner or later you will become a victim. What good is the Right to Bear Arms if you have no right to your own property or property worth protecting?

3) Comment by DMJ - 17/10/2012

Honestly, does it matter who wins? These guys are going to vote the exact same on every issue.

4) Comment by jdk944 - 17/10/2012

Mr. Rush, your NOT voting in ANY election for DECADES, won't be an issue with the voters, in your mind???? REALLY?? Wow!!