Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Editorial: In search of local candidates
May 6 is shaping up to be an uneventful election in many of the region's towns.
From the RoundTable blog
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If no one runs for office, can you still call it an election? Voters in several Southwest Virginia communities will find their May ballots depressingly short of candidates. Only write-in candidates can make some elections competitive.
Our region has no Dendron -- the Surry County town where no one remembered to run for council -- but in towns from Glen Lyn to Buchanan, there's a candidate shortage.
Sure, it might be easy to stick with what you know and rubber stamp the incumbents. We're looking at you, Fincastle, where the mayor and six town council members are running unopposed for re-election.
And no doubt it's hard to find people who have the time and the desire to serve their community in public office when you have fewer than 700 residents -- like Rich Creek, where only two people filed to run for three council seats.
But democracy demands more from citizens.
Perhaps in all eight towns of the New and Roanoke valleys where voters lack options, the best people are on the ballot. What an amazing coincidence.
Voters deserve a choice on Election Day. They deserve candidates who debate the issues and offer alternatives that will help shape local governance for a few years.
No matter how small the town, difficult issues can unexpectedly arise.
In tiny Narrows, population about 2,200, a fight over a fly ash dump on the New River dominates local debate. Yet only three candidates vie for three open council seats, and the incumbent mayor runs unopposed.
Bring on the write-ins
Now that the filing deadline has passed, civic-minded residents have only one option: Run as write-in candidates. In a small community, a write-in can mount a serious campaign, particularly when there are not even enough candidates to begin with. Some write-in candidate will win, and better someone who wants the office than Mickey Mouse.
On any local council, one finds neighbors who care passionately about their community. We hope more of them will step up before the May 6 election so that voters have a reason to show up and exercise their most fundamental right.
