Think – Consider – Vote!

This was the week that candidates for opposed positions debated the issues. Turnout was high and the expectation was that there would be some tough questions and there were. Because the format included a blind draw for questions and time was limited, not every question made it to the candidates. I must admit that I was impressed by the quality of questions that were submitted by citizens. Most were thoughtful and allowed a response from all candidates, rather than being candidate specific. I was also impressed by the candidates. They were professional and kept it between the navigational poles, which allowed for a real debate rather than a cat fight. The audience was respectful and, had there not been a sea of candidate colors and paraphernalia present, it would have been difficult on behavior alone to tell who was supporting a particular candidate.

I would like to express my appreciation to Doug Goddard who acted as moderator for the event and time keeper Kathy Pless. Mr. Goddard did a great job keeping the questions flowing and the candidates moving, doing both with gracious authority. Mrs. Pless had the nerve racking job of keeping time and she preformed well.

I have been repeatedly asked who I felt was the winner of the debate. My opinion it this-debates are not for those that have yard signs or wear candidate shirts or buttons. They are for those that are on the fence. Will they inspire someone to vote who is not a regular voter? Probably not. But they can and do influence the voting middle. Were there some that performed better than others? Certainly. Some candidates are just more natural at the podium than others and, truthfully, some are better informed. I believe that it is up to each individual voter to decide who came out strong and who was proven to be the weaker candidate. I know what I think but what I think, or what your neighbor thinks or even your mother thinks should not influence your vote. The medial should be professional fence riders. That is the only way that the public can get unbiased information. And every voter should have a sound reason that they are voting for a candidate. If you made it to the debate, I am sure that you have formed an opinion on who was informed and who missed the mark. If you missed the debate, the video is on the front page at the top right-you really should check it out. Think, consider and vote. It is the necessary trifecta of a good political process.