Voters Speak Softly
This was the week of change for Jefferson County and across the State of Tennessee but very few have seemed to notice. Oh, we held an election on Thursday but we probably would have had a better turn out if we had thrown a Tupperware party. After all, who doesn’t like or need Tupperware? We barely topped 5% of voter turnout this election cycle and it has me wondering if that is a poor or accurate representation of who we have become? Are we the people who simply don’t care anymore? Has the political process so jaded the majority that we have totally disengaged or is it our disengagement that has skewed the political process? It is the age old question, which came first-the chicken or the egg?
I admire those that throw their hat into the ring seeking office. When the vast, great majority cannot even be bothered to vote it is a true act of courage or protest or both to put your name on the ballot. It appears that we can all talk politics but few of us are willing to walk the walk, so to speak. Heck, most of us can’t even walk the walk to the polls, little alone commit ourselves to public service.
So, more than 40% of our School Board has changed which represents three in seven votes. Not a majority, mind you, but enough to make some people fairly antsy. Which way will they go? Only time will tell. New blood is neither good nor bad, as long as it isn’t contaminated when you get it. It should be interesting to see just what these new Board Members bring to the table. Sometimes I think that the old guard just becomes tired of the same old, same old. Same vote split, same issues different locations. Three new faces could energize the lot of them and we may see some interesting out takes from this election. Only two will be going through the learning curve, Fair and Cox, Solomon should be able to hit the ground running since, for him, this is a return from a one term hiatus. There are some momentous decisions ahead of this Board and they will need to bond as a body and hit the ground running. I believe that the school board has the largest learning curve. Wasn’t it Howard Baker that said that, if he had it to do over again, he would run for school board because that is where change can be made? I am paraphrasing but you get the idea.
New Constables, new Road Commissioners and State House and Senate positions were all up for grabs but not everyone was contested. On the State level, Farmer and Niceley had no opposition. Faison successfully fended off McCarter for the Republican nod for his House seat. Faison is a familiar figure around Jefferson County and he was rewarded for the presence in the community by a nearly 600 point vote spread locally. Though few voters voiced their opinion, in this case they did it loudly. In the undeniably closest race of the election cycle, Baldwin edged out Wilson 105 to 103. Granted, it was only a two point margin but enough is as good as a feast and nothing points to the importance of every vote, for both candidates, like a two vote win.
Most Americans appear to be more involved in the upcoming Presidential election and that should mean a large turn out in November. It is a shame that it takes something as unseemly as the Clinton/Trump sideshow to motivate voter turnout. Between glass ceilings and glass houses it should be an interesting fall. 2370 voters made our decision in the most recent election cycle. I am not on the boat with those that believe that voting should be mandatory in the United States. As politically incorrect as it may sound, there are some people who simply are so uninformed that I don’t really want them making decisions that will impact my life. There is a responsibility that should be attached to casting a vote. We certainly need more people to engage in the political process but voters need to cast educated votes. Is that too much to ask? From what I have seen lately, it most likely is too much to ask.
Whatever. This election is in the books. The people have softly spoken and we will see what the chosen do with authority they have been given. It should be interesting. Congratulations to all of those who participated in the political process, the winners and the losers. We appreciate your commitment to public service and wish you well as you begin your journey, either in the position to which you were elected or down another path. Elections are not always pretty but they are the canvas on which freedom is painted. And, no matter what the outcome, freedom is a beautiful thing.
