Explaining why I replaced this week’s poll question

You might notice that I replaced this week’s original poll question.

Now the question is about whether Las Cruces is moving in the right direction in terms of growth and development, but the original weekly poll asked which Doña Ana County state representative is most likely to lose his or her seat in 2008.

It was a question I thought was interesting, one I’ve been asked a few times in recent months.

But something happened that I didn’t anticipate.

Supporters of some of the representatives organized votes against others so their favored representative wouldn’t lose. They began going after those they don’t like. I could see the situation, by the end of the week, degrading into an open fight over who would become the biggest loser by winning the poll.

One of the goals of this site is to constructively add to the conversation. That includes criticizing and pointing out things that are wrong when necessary, but should not include stirring up unnecessary anger between public officials.

In other words, I’m not here to start a fight unless there’s a really good reason. Controversy for the sake of controversy isn’t productive.

What’s the difference between this and other polls asking who will win a race? The difference is that in those cases, candidates end up urging supporters to vote for them, not against someone else. The poll I removed today encouraged trash talking and negative campaigning.

So the poll is gone. My mistake.