P.O. Box 13: Résumés on postcards (Part 2)

Part 2 of our look at campaign mailers in the 13th Worcester House District race. This review includes mailers received through September 4. Also see Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

Only a couple mailers trickled in during the week after the big debate, both of them small and jam-packed with text, as opposed to the previous spacious, slick and graphics-driven efforts from the purported frontrunners:

Mike Perotto
"Leader for You"
First of the postcard-sized postcards, but also the wordiest one yet; break out the magnifying glass (don't let the image fool you -- this one was the size of an average tourist's postcard, tiny compared to the other mailers). Easily the most specifics yet; he gives highlights of his 14-year tenure on the City Council and promises to (among other things) "be an ambassador to startup and high-tech businesses"; "scrutinize the budget"; and "return your phone calls and e-mails the same day or the following morning." This is damning with faint praise, though; he still doesn't give any truly specific proposals.

Don Sharry 
"Vote for Don Sharry"
Slightly longer than a postcard; more photos than Perotto's. Under the heading "Uniquely Qualified" on the back, says he's a health insurance professional and a business owner, specializing in employee benefit plans. Well ... so is Perotto, isn't he? Can't both be "unique." Obverse is a six-paragraph letter to district voters that probably would have worked better in bulleted format, although the boldface does help. "We need someone who has the experience and knowledge to help control spiraling budgets, unfunded mandates and ever-rising health insurance costs." OK, but how? We're invited to visit donsharry4staterep.com "to learn more," but the "Issues" page there (as of today) is simply the text of the mailer, without any explanation.

If Perotto and Sharry (and Gina DiBaro) are really shaping up to be also-rans, as scuttlebutt has it, they need great mailers even more than the three "front-runners." So why do campaigns spend the big bucks to send these things out, if they're not going to take full advantage of my attention and give me a reason to vote? Knowing the names of your kids isn't going to win you my vote. Maybe the next week will bring more specifics ... keep an eye on that mailbox and on this blog!

This is the second in a series of "P.O. Box 13" blog posts about campaign mailers in the 13th Worcester House District race. The opinions expressed are those of a 13th Worcester District voter and not necessarily those of CMassPolitics.com. The series continues here.