Let’s go on an election year scavenger hunt. First one to get a photo of all these items wins. Ready? Okay. Take a photo of a Republican pothole on your street. Next, a Democrat pizza box. A Republican dentist office. A Democrat snowplow. A Republican fire hydrant. A Democrat elementary school. You get the point, right?
Living our everyday lives in our local communities, the hype on social media regarding elections will likely have little, if any, real impact once the elections are over. Most of us are concerned about LOCAL priorities: Quality education for kids in our neighborhoods; Police and Fire personnel who protect us; Business owners who bring value to our communities; Community leaders that look out for us. At the community level, we share similar goals that are not exclusive to a particular political party.
School board members, city council representatives, alderpersons, mayors and county board supervisors are not partisan offices because those leaders need to serve the majority of their citizens and not just a select group.
At the state and federal levels, partisan division in Wisconsin, like many states, is at an all time high. That will likely be demonstrated again in November, although there is hope that some issues may be causing us to rethink our positions. Feelings on things like high voltage power lines, power generation facilities, data centers, land use and more are crossing traditional party lines and people are looking to elected officials for leadership on the issues that affect them rather than just towing a party line.
That’s fantastic news. Along the same line, some folks in Rock County will see five referendum questions on their ballot. If you consider the real “ask” of those questions and not the political spin around discussions of them, you will quickly see their passage or failure will also have an impact on your life and your financial situation (in the case of school referendums).
I hope what is happening is a trend toward a less partisan and more thoughtful election process where real ideas and solutions become the motivation for casting a ballot above our traditional (and self-imposed) party labels. It’s something to think about.
Most importantly, however, is that we all participate in the process. Staying home on election day means other people will make decisions for you. So, learn about the candidates. Learn about the issues. Then exercise that most important American right and vote!
Ever consider running for local office? Candidate paperwork from the county typically appears in November. It is a big decision to run, but the time is now to decide whether you are willing and able to serve your local community as an elected local officer. Our RCF Candidate and Campaign Committee (part of the Rock County First Political Fund) can help people who are considering a run for local office to think through the details of what to consider, and what it will take to win. We are here to help!
Here is what you can do before December:
- Visit our Candidate and Campaign webpage to find helpful pre-candidacy information.
- Someone from the team is willing to meet with individuals who may be considering running for the first time. Fill out the contact form at the bottom of the webpage and someone will reach out to assist you.
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To learn more about RCF and to sign-up for monthly e-updates, go to rockcountyfirst.com, and visit our Facebook page at FB.com/rockcountyfirst.
RCF’s Mission: Empower the citizens of Rock County to preserve freedom & liberty through education and government accountability.
Even though Party members may tell you otherwise, RCF is not affiliated with any political party. Rather, RCF is focused on building powerful, non-partisan local coalitions to address local needs! For example; strong local education, responsible taxation, individual opportunity and public safety, to name a few. Come join us and make a difference, locally!
