Voter turn out in Christiansburg's town council six-way race this Tuesday nudged up just a bit. In the past 10 years, only elections which included the mayor's position (even when uncontested) have garnered more votes.
Is this small increase due to the town's continued growth and having ever more new voters? Voting records of incumbents (as contrasted to promises made as candidates)? Or maybe during the four candidate forums, people were making up their minds. Perhaps it is connected to the "local paper" (Roanoke Times)
interviewing the candidates, publishing those comments and making them available online, too. Interesting note is the "local paper"
endorsed the three candidates who turned out to be the winners in Christiansburg.
There may be
as many reasons for why someone voted for one, two or three of the candidates
as there were voters showing up at the polls.
With over 12,000 registered voters, seeing only roughly 11% of them show up is nothing to brag about. And a long standing "strategy" of not casting a vote for each open position, thereby giving up some votes (by voting only for one or two candidates in what should be a race for 3 seats with X number of candidates) doesn't ensure the most highly qualified individuals get the job.
And if you didn't vote? Then don't complain.
If you did vote? Show up at some of the regular council or committee meetings, listen to the dialog and engage in deeper conversations with your local elected officials.
A Public Hearing on the proposed 2008-2009 fiscal year will be included during the May 20 council meeting. The June 3 meeting will include another hearing on the proposed increases to taxes or fees. That meeting will be followed by
FOIA training, which is also open to the public.
These officials are the people who decide what gets built, what businesses can operate where, what you pay for water or sewer or garbage service. How much extra do you pay to eat out, in the form of a meals tax? When friends visit the area and stay at a motel, what taxes are collected? Chew or dip, but don't smoke cigarettes -- it could cost more in Christiansburg than surrounding jurisdictions, and council makes those types of decisions in setting fees or tax rates.
What types of businesses pay taxes and how much they pay is determined by this group of elected officials -- people who got into office with a minority vote, in a community that couldn't elect minority candidates in the last two elections.
Is turn out traditionally low because people believe town government is doing a good job? Or they don't "get it" about elections being held in May? Do voters believe council is irrelevant? Do citizens feel their input is immaterial? Or they don't realize that the polling place is different for just these elections?
Investigate -- know who your elected officials are, what powers they hold and what powers they delegate.
Know what they promised when campaigning and
know how they vote on issues that come before the council in the future.
If you are a registered voter residing in the town of Christiansburg and you voted -- good for you! If you are a registered voter residing in the town of Christiansburg and you skipped this election, shame on you (and remain silent).
Christiansburg town council members who will be sworn into office by September 1, based on the outcome of Tuesday's elections, include newcomers Jim Van Hoosier and Henry Showalter and incumbent Mike Barber.
"Also rans" include incumbent Steve Huppert, former council member Bill Chafin and newcomer Sam Bishop. Remember their names and contributions to our community.
A sincere thank you should be
given to each candidate who took the time and effort to run for office -- newcomers, or incumbents. Most people don't even attempt to do this legwork, and the real work comes in fulfilling the duties of the office won. Take the time to acknowlege the civic contribution of retiring councilman Dan Canada as well, while noting that Van Hoosier's election creates a vacancy on council's Planning Commission. And be aware of both who is appointed by council to fill that seat, as well as the process taken to do so (historically, this has been done without citizen input and behind closed doors, treating it as if it were a personnel matter, which it is not).
Begin today by educating yourself about issues before town council, how these impact our community, and prepare yourself to be a better informed and engaged voter in 2010.