成人X站

成人X站 NEWSRADIO OPINION

Ross: Tech literate voters are needed to save ferry reservations

Apr 27, 2023, 9:28 AM | Updated: 9:40 am

I heard some frustration during hour #1 of the Gee & Ursula Show yesterday.

Mike Lewis was filling in for Ursula, and he was talking about the latest problem with a state-run website, that being the reservation system for the San Juan Ferry routes.

More from Dave Ross: Tired of mowing your lawn? The bees might thank you

“Why is it from the employment security department, everywhere else in the state, that we have these systems crashing when it seems to me like there’s no state, or very few other states, that have a higher concentration of talent, and yet we have a system that we don’t seem to be able to manage the basic interface between the public and the state as it relates to websites,鈥 Lewis said.

And it didn鈥檛 make sense to Gee either.

鈥淵o, Microsoft, Google, and all of them, could you help a guy out!鈥 Gee said.

Why is it that the government of a state with arguably one of the highest percentages of geniuses in the world can鈥檛 run a website?

So I went to the and looked at the age breakdown of voters in Washington.

Listen to the numbers, among eligible voters ages 35-44 鈥 middle age 鈥 29% don鈥檛 vote. Disappointing but not too surprising.

Then we get down to the 25-34 age group. The group that makes up the bulk of the tech industry 鈥 the percentage of non-voters goes up to 34%. More than one in three just throw out their ballots.

Finally, there鈥檚 the 18 to 24 group, where 48% don鈥檛 vote. Almost half of their ballots 鈥 straight to the garbage.

In contrast, among people 45 and older, my age group 鈥 only 23% toss their ballots, 77% vote.

So ask yourself 鈥 is that a recipe for electing a tech-savvy legislature? Where the highest voting rate is among people who still have a telephone bolted to a wall in the kitchen?

I believe that if everybody under 40 actually used their ballots to elect legislators who look and think like them, there would be a whole new set of expectations. You鈥檇 have members who 鈥 just like Gee said 鈥 would look at an outdated state website, jump on Skype and say, 鈥淵o Microsoft! You guys update a billion computers every other month. You think you can figure out how to get people to Orcas Island?鈥

So there鈥檚 your problem. Young people are letting my age group run everything. And yes, I do actually have a telephone bolted to a wall in my kitchen.

Although 鈥 as my co-workers will tell you 鈥 I鈥檝e been doing all I can to appeal to the youth demographic. In fact, I was planning to close this commentary with a string of clever emojis. But I can鈥檛 figure out how to get them to display on my GE transistor radio.

So I鈥檒l just give a time check using my large-print digital clock: It鈥檚 7:38.

Listen to Seattle鈥檚 Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O鈥橞rien weekday mornings from 5 鈥 9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the聽podcast here.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • to 成人X站 Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

成人X站 Newsradio Opinion

financial crisis wa trump...

Charlie Harger

Harger: WA bought the pool before the bonus check was cashed, now a financial crisis looms

Earlier this week, the Trump administration published its list of 鈥渟anctuary鈥 states and cities, and both Seattle and Washington landed right at the top.

1 day ago

male birth control...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

Male birth control pill deemed safe, but Gee says men wouldn’t take it

A male birth control pill has been deemed safe for human use but 成人X站 hosts debate if men will take it.

1 day ago

seattle primary election budget...

Seattle's Morning News

‘What can we do to reduce spending?’ Seattle council member weighs in on primary election, Seattle’s mounting budget woes

Based on initial primary election returns, Washington voters may be swinging the pendulum once again toward more progressive leadership and policies.

2 days ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Inside Seattle’s Teen Summer Musical

Isiah Anderson, the director of the Teen Summer Musical, stopped by the Gee & Ursula Show to share about his inspiring journey. Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

2 days ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Charlie Harger Breaks Down Washington’s Funding Crisis

Charlie Harger explains what’s at risk if Washington defies Federal Policy. Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

2 days ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Is Male Birth Control a Real Thing?

Male birth control is here, but will men actually take it? Gee Scott & Ursula Reutin weigh in. Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

2 days ago

Ross: Tech literate voters are needed to save ferry reservations