It’s never too early

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Janet Leslie

Well, here I go again, commenting on village of Holly business. This is sure to irk some village residents, as it always does. Before I go on, allow me to justify my actions. Number one, I write an opinion column for a news source directed at the greater Holly community. It would get pretty tiresome for most readers if I wrote only about outer Holly Township issues. Number two, what happens in the village of Holly affects every one of us living or working in the greater Holly area, as the village is the economic hub of our community. With that said, I am happy to share my thoughts on the upcoming Village Council election.

Now, some say it is far too early to discuss the Village Council election, as it is not held until November. (There is no primary election for council seats; they are non-partisan. This does not mean that those running for those seats are themselves non-partisan, only that it is not necessary to declare a party when running for Village Council.) Nevertheless, residents are already talking about the five council seats up for reelection. For anyone considering running, this would be a very good time to start talking to residents about what it is that has them so concerned that they are already contemplating a local election nine months away. It’s a good time for all of us to start attending council meetings to get a feel for what the current members stand for, and to measure the contribution they bring to the proceedings. It’s a good time also to start comparing news accounts of council actions, and to ask questions of council members if their motivations are not clear. Is it too early to talk about November? I don’t think so.

Similar to the Township Board elections of 2008, what the most vocal residents seem to be clamoring for is “something new.” Now, there are some fine, conscientious, forward-thinking members of the council, and I would not want to see the baby thrown out with the bath water. In many cases, what these people do would look more like something new if only they had more like-minded folks on the council with them. But, whether you want to see no new faces on the council, all new faces, or something in between, new names on the ballot can only enhance the campaign. New candidates, by virtue of being unknown, will force the discussion of the issues. They take away the opportunity for incumbents to run based on name recognition or being merely “the devil we know.” This competition is to the voters’ benefit. It makes every candidate have to work a little harder.

New names on the ballot may also increase voter turnout, which increases the likelihood that those elected will actually represent the interests of the community. Voter turnout in the last Village Council election was dismal, something like 8 percent. I never miss an opportunity to remind Village Council President Pete Clemens that in the last election, though he won by a large margin, he was re-elected with only 154 votes. Mind you, he didn’t win by 154 votes; 154 votes were cast for him and he won.

Competition will force candidates to be more accessible to voters. It’s impossible to demonstrate your contrast with the other guy if you’re not communicating with the electorate. I think Holly Township Supervisor Jesse Lambert’s victory in the 2008 election was due in large part to accessibility. He was the first local candidate in Holly history to have a campaign Web site. He campaigned door to door and at public events. I still hear people remark how impressed they were that he made a habit of visiting Holly Donuts and Tom’s Coney Island at regular times each week, so that residents would know where to find him if they wanted to chat. Not content with those venues, he also challenged his opponent to a live debate, a more risky venue than the traditional “Meet the Candidates Night,” in which he also participated. In taking all of these opportunities to interact with voters, he was able to communicate his message and successfully demonstrate a contrast between himself and a 16-year incumbent.

We have lots of time over the coming months to discuss the issues surrounding the Village Council election. Right now, I am just delighted that residents and bystanders are seeing the event as an opportunity. That’s what an election is all about: opportunity. It’s an opportunity for residents to contemplate our community’s best interests and to determine who truly represents those interests. It’s an opportunity for change, if that is what voters desire. Even if the result in November is a return of the same five faces to the same five seats, the voters will have had an opportunity to ask the candidates the hard questions, to express their expectations as residents, and those five council members should be much better informed of what those expectations are.

The dialog is just beginning. If you have an opinion, share. If you have the motivation to serve, run. If you believe in a candidate, volunteer. Whether you live in the village or are merely dependent on it, make the most of this opportunity to point Holly in the right direction. It may only be February, but it’s never too early to contemplate the future.