Community wins with large field of candidates
It?s a crowded race to gain a seat on McMinnville?s Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Hallelujah!
Eight candidates are battling for three seats in an election that will be decided Nov. 7. Anytime there is interest in the way local government operates, it?s a welcome sign.
Too often people don?t care enough to get involved. They may not want to take the time to follow the pressing issues facing this community, or they don?t believe they can make a difference. Whatever the reason, we all lose when apathy takes the place of action.
We tout democracy as the best form of government in the world. For our system to truly thrive, it?s vital to have choices.
If only three candidates decided to run for the three McMinnville alderman seats, the voters wouldn?t have a choice. That?s not exactly what our country?s founders had in mind when they created a government designed for the will of the people, by the people.
To elect the best possible candidates, it?s essential to have choices. Having eight candidates fight for three jobs certainly provides voters with options.
That?s not to suggest our current aldermen have done a poor job representing the city of McMinnville. It?s not to say they?ve done a quality job either.
It is saying our elected officials should be held accountable for their actions. It?s impossible to hold elected officials accountable if they run without opposition. There?s no way to vote them out of office.
Many Warren County voters experienced exactly such a predicament in the recent County Commission election earlier this month. The County Commission doesn?t have an at-large election like the city. Rather there are 12 districts and candidates must run in the district in which they live. Two commissioners are elected from each district.
Depending on their district, some voters had the good fortune of four or five candidates to choose from. In other districts, only the two incumbents decided to seek re-election.
As much controversy that?s taken place in the county over the past four years, it?s a shame some commissioners didn?t have to face the threat of being voted out of office. They received a free ride to another four years of office, regardless of their decisions and their voting records.
That?s not a sign of a strong democracy. It?s a sign of settling for the only two people who will take the job.
That?s why it?s reason to break out the cake and ice cream and celebrate the fact city voters have eight candidates running for office ? five of which have been elected before.
Come Nov. 7, city voters have a wide choice of candidates from all walks of life. They truly can vote for an alderman who represents their needs. That?s what democracy is all about.