August 9, 2009 | Story by: Matt Young | Categories: Op Ed
~ The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. ~ John F. Kennedy
We are all inundated with information about national elections. Pundits and reporters spout facts and opinions, and the candidates release soundbites every day.
Where it hits us close to home is often overlooked. The people of Cary walk into voting booths not sure where the candidates stand on issues that affect us – the citizens of Cary. We talk amongst ourselves about issues regarding our services, roads, greenways and parks, taxes, schools, and our environment. But do we really spend the time we should getting to know those who may represent us? Many don’t know the names of their district representative.
What a candidate stands for in our local elections is driven less by a “party platform” and more on the candidates’ personal views and experiences. It is vital now – more than ever – to know the candidates in our upcoming Cary election.
We will be rolling out a series of short, informal videos called “Coffee and Politics” over the next month. We ask the candidates questions about their background, their beliefs and the issues that face us in Cary in the upcoming years.
Vickie Maxwell, a former candidate for Town Council, will be conducting the interviews. Vickie has been an active member of the Cary community for many years, lending her time to various charity, social and political events including InterAct.
As always, we look for your involvement. Send us your thoughts on what you would like to see. Send us any questions that you would like us to ask the candidates. Most importantly, watch for the Town Council Coffee & Politics interviews exclusively on CaryCitizen.
Together, we are going to put the “candid” back in “candidate”!
Matt Young is the Managing Editor of CaryCitizen. Staff photo by Hal Goodtree.
