« 2006 Candidate Updates | Main | Two Links »
November 21, 2005
More 2006 Candidate Updates
First, for my non-Hamilton County readers: this post is all about our county elections. As you were, then, but do come back.
It wouldn't be expedient to try and re-word the entire chattanoogan.com article here, so go read it and then visit the updated page. You'll see that quite a few incumbents have been moved into a "declared" status.
Now, local people, listen up. What I don't want to see happen in 2006 is a lot of ballot positions that are populated with only the incumbent's name and thus offering little other choice. If you have thought before about running for local office (or even if you haven't), and there is an unchallenged incumbent whose duties you are qualified to take on, offer yourself to your public. Serve the community and enrich your experience (um, I don't mean "enrich" in that way, but you should know that by now). Sometimes it's not enough to merely vote. Yes, do that; and bring your friends; but let's fill up those ballots with options from which to choose.
Take, for example, the County Clerk position. Now, don't get me wrong -- I like the job that Bill Knowles has been doing. He's also a friendly and approachable official, which is more than I can say for others. I will probably vote for him again. But what if there is someone out there who could bring even more -- again, nothing against Mr. Knowles, I just picked him at random -- more innovation, efficiency, leadership, and charisma (I don't so much care about that last one, but I know you people) and can convince me of that between now and May and/or August? I want to know about that person, and have the opportunity to make a choice: 1) No, Bill's doing a fine job, let's keep him; or 2) Let's try this new gal, as she promises to make Hamilton County better still through her superb clerk-a-riffic-ness.
Thanks in advance for your help with that; and as always, questions and additional information about these races are most welcome.
UPDATE: Per HamDems, added Billy Long to the Sheriff listing.
Elections | By joe lance | 04:50 PM