OPINION
National politics has no place on the local level.
I don't care to which party you ascribe.
City councils and school boards should not be about political affiliation because local elections are the last bastion of nonpartisanship in this increasingly divisive political climate.
Repairing the roads or renovating the schools in our communities shouldn't be about who is a Democrat or a Republican.
It should be about assessing the areas of greatest need and ensuring as many people are taken care of as possible in a responsible way.
Working with area agencies and entities shouldn't be dependent on which line you go through for primary voting.
It should be about working together to provide vital services to our growing area and learning about possibly worrisome trends in water access or other infrastructure needs.
Meeting the needs of our communities shouldn't be done based on party lines.
It should be done by speaking to the constituents and understanding their focus to adequately represent them because the people who live in our communities are an increasingly diverse group of people. In multiple communities on our masthead, I've seen this troubling trend of proclaiming your party as though it matters.
Local politics is the most direct form of democracy.
You don't need party affiliation to inform your approach.
You just need to know your community and care about all of your neighbors.
Oh, and while we're at it, leave people's signs alone.
I'm looking at you, David Vartian, who I saw at the Copeland Center on Monday morning before I went in to cast my vote.
I watched you pick up your folding chair and then remove two of your political signs that were overlapping the edges of your opponent Jeff Doramus' sign a while after I parked, placing them in your car before pulling away.
If you're doing the right thing, you don't need to do that.
Abigail Allen is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal. She can be reached at aallen@postsignal. com.
