Next Tuesday we go to the polls.
In addition to selecting county row officers and judges, a very learned process should be undertaken when voting for candidates in local elections.
Those local officials will be governing close to home and you should make sure that you are familiar with them; most importantly, their ability to govern within your community.
Political parties shouldn't come into play when voting for candidates for local offices. They are your friends, your acquaintances, your neighbors; the person who lives down the street or a few blocks away.
If they live in your community and they're a candidate for local office surely you must have heard or read a bit about them. If you haven't, you have to make the decision whether the fault is theirs or yours.
Too often races for local offices become popularity contests with little or no regard to the variety of positions a candidate may have on issues related to the community. As a candidate they have a responsibility to present themselves to the voters. As a voter, you have a responsibility to learn about the candidates so you can cast an informed ballot.
People will gossip and some will hate. Seek out trusted sources when vetting a candidate. After all, it's your vote not theirs.
To the candidates, incumbent to novice, you owe it to the people of your community to make sure that you are prepared to take a return to, or take seat at, the table of elected officials. If you are not prepared, then others will govern for you and your promises to the voters are moot.
The appointed solicitors are good people and sound advisors. But, they represent the officials and the officials only. They are there to advise them. In many cases, they don't even live in the community.
When local, elected officials fail to know, understand, and execute their responsibilities they usually end up acquiescing their duties to the solicitor – someone who wasn't elected by the voters and doesn't represent them.
Perhaps, some candidates aren't even aware of that relationship between an elected official and the solicitor. The voters better be aware of that before they cast their ballot for a candidate who isn't aware of it.
And, there is so much more to know. We'll touch on that over the upcoming weeks before the winners take their seats.
All candidates have a responsibility to be prepared to be elected. If you're not prepared, why is your name on the ballot?
Once you've been picked to represent the people you have a responsibility to represent them – all of them.
Don't embarrass them.