(This week’s civic education and engagement column from Danville’s The Republican newspaper.)
I know, it’s not all that exciting. Short lists of names you don’t really know but recognize from those annoying yard signs. Running for offices that – well, you’re not quite sure just what it is they do. And why do we need so many of them?
You’ll vote for people like an auditor who doesn’t audit, a surveyor who rarely surveys, a coroner who doesn’t solve crimes by performing autopsies, and a recorder who never plays annoyingly high-pitched woodwinds (I do know at least one exception to that one). The surveyor and recorder are on the ballot this time around. The other two will be in 2028.
Know why they don’t elect all the local government offices at the same time? Dramatic changes in local government rarely produce positive results for the communities they serve. So even if everyone wants to vote out all those idiots over that data center thing, state government wisely made sure we can fire only half the idiots at a time. Continuity and stability may sound boring, but the most effective local governments are shining examples of both.
I’m about to share some political facts that will deeply offend some folks on both sides. There may even be some angry letters. Please note: I’m not passing judgement on whether what I’ll describe is right or wrong. My goal is to educate citizens on how government really works in our communities, and you can’t do that without addressing the realities of politics. But I will say that if you think America is in a mess and doesn’t seem to be getting better, don’t assume the other guys and gals are completely at fault. Blame what our political process has become, and both major parties bear equal responsibility for that.
In Hendricks County, voting in the primary is generally more important than voting in November’s election. Like voters, counties are living things whose needs change over the years. Local Democrats have a growing presence in elections and local government, and field more candidates with every election, but they’re still the minority party here and will have to work twice as hard as their opponents come November.
Local officials have a far greater impact on your daily life and your overall quality of life than any of the state and national officials on the ballot. And because the GOP has long dominated Hendricks County, they’ve historically won nearly all of the local offices. Some people won’t like what I’m about to say, but it’s a simple, easily verifiable fact: the winners in November’s election are nearly always determined in the Republican primary.
There are several contested races on the Republican side – though not nearly as many as there should be, because having election opponents keeps incumbents on their toes. But on the Democrat side, there are just two contested races in the primary: U.S. House and Liberty Township Advisory Board. Voting in the Democratic primary allows you to make only those two choices. All the other Democrats are running unopposed, so they’re automatically on the November ballot whether or not you push the buttons next to their names.
Indiana law allows voters to choose either party in a primary, even if they’ve voted for the other team in the past. You’re not required to submit to a polygraph, take a DNA test, or anything like that. You just have to make a pinky promise that you expect to vote for more of that party’s candidates in November. Nobody checks up on you or ever knows who you’ve actually voted for. Come November 3rd, if you want to vote for candidates from the other party, that’s your legal right as a citizen.
So once again, just the facts. If you want to vote in the election that will have the biggest impact on your quality of life and the place you call home, don’t miss the Primary … and ask for a Republican ballot. Even if you’re not fond of some members of that party, at least you’ll have a hand in choosing the best among them.
By the way: it infuriates Republicans when people urge Democrats to vote in their primaries, which is usually done to block an unpopular candidate. Interestingly, Democrats get equally infuriated when Republicans urge their voters to do the exact same thing. “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on here!” (And if that’s meaningless to you, watch Casablanca. You’ll thank me.)