By JIM BUTLER

To hear some tell it woulda, coulda and shoulda played key roles in Tuesday’s voting.

The traditional sorry turnout in these parts for a midterm Election Day is the backdrop.

Candidates and/or supporters often contend results woulda, coulda, shoulda been different had more citizens gone to the polls.

Fewer than half those registered actually voted, in some races the percentage was closer to 40.

Any number of reasons are offered – weather, work, access, disinterest – but the result is the same. Too few of us decide who will run things for all of us.

Woulda, coulda, shouda that could be pitched:

Alexandria mayor’s race – turnout 46%. Jacques Roy camp might argue higher turnout woulda pushed him from 49% to past 50% of the vote and into a new term; Malcolm Larvadain supporters might argue more favoring him shoulda voted, pushing him from 41% to closer to or in the lead.

Alexandria at-large – Gregory Scott camp could ma say more voting woulda closed the 185-vote difference between his count and Jim Villard’s. Villard side might counter that more voting woulda pushed higher than the winning 51% he got.

Fewer than 40  of every 100 registered voters in School Board District  D cast ballots.

Frances Tennie, 41%, and Thomas Sands, 37%, will compete in the runoff. Christopher Sands ran third in the race voted on by only 35% of those eligible Coulda incumbent District H  School Board member George Johnson have closed the eight-point gap to winner Greg Hackney if more than 46% had voted or woulda the winner’s lead have been more?

Same question in District F, but not likely, where incumbent Marie Ashmore trailed Roosevelt Johnson by 32 points. Turnout was 45%.

In District I  a reversal seems unlikeliest of all had more voted. Ashley Baptiste had 72% in her race with Fredell Griffin. Only 39% of those registered went to the polls.

Runoffs are Saturday December 12, woulda, coulda and shoulda notwithstanding.

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