Vote This Primary Season

I live in a politically active community. The mayoral race in Bloomington has had a lot of interest. The Monday night Chamber Mayoral Forum on Business, my employer, was one of many such events hosted by community/civic groups.
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We are like many Hoosier communities with a 1 party system. The primary on May 2nd  essentially elects the winner. I’ve lived in other states with similar circumstances.  It’s why I’ve voted in both parties’ primary elections. In Indiana, you don’t even have to specify your party affiliation when you register.  Show up to the polls and pull the lever. 

Every vote counts, but it matters more when fewer people go to the polls.  We have seen shifts in many city councils’ makeup by organized minorities focused on issues such as growth.  Here in Bloomington, we will be lucky to trot out 8,000 voters in a town of 80 odd thousand.  We are fortunate to have 3 distinct options available for mayor.  There are choices to be made, and fallout from said choice. 

I hear people bemoan the 1 party system in our local government. In a perfect environment, we would have a strong 2 party system here in Bloomington and the entire State of Indiana.  Where I push back is that we do not have a strong party apparatus on any level of government.  It remains candidate driven.  Individuals are welcome to run for office and vote how they feel when they become elected officials.  I attend city council meetings weekly where I see the divisions on full display. 

​“Growth” is a funny local issue unto itself. It does not have a party identification.  For different reasons, both sides of the political spectrum can be against it and for it. I tease my Carmel resident colleagues about the top-down government-laden approach to their planned growth.  I can poke fun at the method but not the results. 

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