On the election ballot as in so many other spheres, strength can be found in numbers: truly, the more candidates, the better.
And with filing for the fall elections just around the corner (in late July), the League of Women Voters and a few industrious citizens have organized a candidate workshop to be held in the Bainbridge Commons next weekend. Current and past office holders will field questions on their experiences in campaigning and serving the public. Kitsap County Auditor Karen Flynn will come over from Port Orchard to discuss the filing process – basically a form and a fee, although the excellent Ms. Flynn no doubt will offer both eloquence and insight.
In one of modern history’s less shrewd scheduling moves, the forum will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. June 28, opposite the Rotary Auction. But they – and we – hope it will draw a few political hopefuls nonetheless. Why?
Island voters this fall will decide four city council seats (at least two of which will not be defended by incumbents); four out of the five park board posts; three seats on the school board (at least one of which will be open); an open fire board position; and, if you live in the Fort Ward neighborhood, a seat on the less-than-glamorous but lately high-powered Sewer District No. 7 board.
It should be self-evident that voters want and deserve
choices, and local history indeed supports that notion. The most dynamic campaign seasons in our decade-plus of all-island cityhood have been a pair of mayoral contests – one that drew five candidates, another six – and several with robust fields of council hopefuls of disparate political bents. In at least one of the latter contests, the surprise endorsement of a candidate ousted in the primary swung votes that keyed another’s triumph in November. Through all, the community was treated to fine discussion and debate about our collective future.
Sans such interest, voters are essentially left to hand a job off to “volunteers” running unopposed, or to a candidate with a name and face who breezes into office against an unknown.
Neither instance serves the public interest.
The editor of this newspaper had luncheon this week with nearly a dozen prominent community members, all of them interested in seeing a full slate of candidates, and all eminently qualified to seek office themselves.
For one reason or another, none plan to do so – an irony that we see with each election season. Among the usual reasons: the perceived cost of campaigning, the time commitment once elected to office, a sense of personal “unelectability,” or discomfort at the prospect of four years in the bug jar of public life. Where this year’s city races are concerned, we’ve spoken to folks skeptical that anyone would willingly throw themselves into the miasma of conflict they’ve seen around City Hall. That’s a shame, but it also poses a timely challenge to the vast talent pool that is Bainbridge Island.
Who should run? Certainly, there is no profile of an ideal candidate. And for the time being, forget about “positions” and “platforms” – decent prerequisites might be a reasonable understanding of current local issues, a portfolio of community involvement, or a general interest in public service that goes beyond the desire to grind a narrow-agenda ax.
We believe that qualifies a lot of you. Ideally, we hope to see enough candidates to force a September primary for every council seat, and two contestants in all other races.
Campaigns can be inexpensive, and as to public service – if it doesn’t look fun and rewarding, vow to make it so. Find out how at the LWV’s workshop next weekend.
