My Thoughts On Our Local Elections By Kyle Leach

My Thoughts On Our Local Elections By Kyle Leach

I know that elections can seem burdensome. With our national election cycles becoming even more brutal, dishonest, media circuses, dominated by wealth and power, it can be hard to have any energy left for local elections. The two modern major corporate parties in the process, the Republicans and Democrats( we do have minor political parties in the US), tend to suck the wind out of everyone's sails. It's almost time for local election day in Farmington, so I wanted to talk a little about our local elections and the people running.


Our local elections are non-partisan. That means you won't see a "D" or "R" or "I" Or "U," or any other descriptor beside anyone's name on the ballots. It means that political parties aren't really entangled in the process, one of the few times they are not. Local individuals make the decision of who is going to run, who will get exposure, and what votes go to what positions. No superdelegates, No corporate PACs. No super PACS. No propaganda from networks like Fox or MSNBC. Just people. People you can talk to, people who you can see up close, people you can monitor and make a decision based on just those things.

Farmington residents have a very long history of local political discourse, endorsement, and marketing. You can see it all over the printed historical record, decade after decade. I see local ads, opinion pieces, and lists of endorsements all the time when I am sorting through Farmington documents or conducting searches on our  news database at the Farmington Historical Society.  Slogans like "let’s make America great again"or "vote blue no matter who," are meaningless platitudes, especially because we are focused on our neighbors and our town and our collective future.

It means Lefties like me, Indies, or people who don't normally vote because the political parties either turn them off or fail to motivate them, can really shine. During local elections you can easily participate in the election process.  That process can get much more difficult when you get to the state or national elections. I'm adventurous in my local voting and my political views are less a part of choosing each person than their competence, their involvement in the community, and what that person would bring to the position they are hoping to get. I tend to like to try out different candidates if I'm not happy with a board. I try to give them a couple of years to get their footing and then decide if I want to continue to support them.

Locally, I've voted for people of all political types and I've voted for people I don't personally like. I've mainly chosen not to vote for people who stopped showing up for an elected office at some point, people that are prone to believing conspiracy theories and spreading misinformation, and people who seem bored, uninterested, or hostile to fellow board members, constituents, or other townspeople. I'm also not fond of people who don't respond or interact with the public. There are people running in this election that have those qualities.I also have a list of people that have crossed me. You don't want to be on that list. Fortunately, that list is very short.


Luckily, we have plenty of people running, which isn't always the case. The people I chose in the graphic above really adore our town. I'm not politically aligned with many of them, but each of them have personal qualities and expertise that make them well suited for the position they are running for. I think the three people for school board are dedicated to improving our system and love our schools and are willing to take into account taxpayer concerns. Stephen Henry will probably always get my vote, on the budget committee, though we aren't politically aligned, because of his thoroughness and for being a person who will stand up for his convictions, in the face of overwhelming opposition. At town meeting is is often the lone vote to keep conversation going. I can have nothing but respect for that.

There are some people, not listed above, that I will enthusiastically support. The graphic was just getting too full to list them! For Town Moderator,  Mike Morin,  for Town Treasurer Debra Pate, and for the Checklist Richard Pelkey. Also, please write Manny Krasner in for Trustee of Trust funds on the Town Ballot. He didn't sign up before the filing deadline, but would like all of us to support him for the position.

Please vote in our local elections. It is where you have the most voice, the most influence, and where you decide things that effect your everyday living in Farmington.

Kyle Leach
Farmington, NH

Please don't publish this post in whole or part, without express written permission from Kyle Leach. Please share it as you wish.

#FarmingtonNH PTA- School Board Candidates Night -Tuesday, March 3rd

#FarmingtonNH Town Election Day- Tuesday, March 10th 2020

#FarmingtonNH Town Meeting- Wednesday, March 11th 2020

 View Town Sample Ballot

View School Sample Ballot

View 2020 Town Warrant 

View 2019 Town Annual Report

Go to the "Town Elections" page on the Puddledock Press website










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