Sunday Morning Random Thoughts — Primary Election Edition

Here it is Sunday, September 05, 2010, and we are now less than ten days from the primary election in my (mostly) beloved Charles County. I’ve had an opportunity to briefly browse the biographies of most of the candidates for both commissioner and Board of Education. Some candidates I know better than others—by observing their actions at meetings or, in the case of incumbents, in execution of their current offices (and boy, did some of them seem intent on “executing” their offices); by reading their comments in articles and letters to the editor; by knowing them well enough either personally or professionally to discuss issues with them. Through all this I have a pretty good grasp on who I plan to vote for in the primary, and, should the individual make it past the primary, in the general election. In some instances I already know that even though I will vote for a particular Republican in the primary, it will be the Democratic that gets my vote in the general election should the right candidate make it on the ballot. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail or lay down an exhaustive list of each candidate who has earned my vote, but I am going to highlight three or four people and give my reasoning behind my decisions. Call this an endorsement if you will. That’s fine. I just consider this an explication of how a guy who usually can’t decide between white and yellow American cheese in the grocery store made up his mind on some specific races.

Commissioner President – Candice Quinn Kelly

Because I cannot vote in the Democratic primary, I will have to wait for the general election to vote for my choice in this race. And I feel pretty confident I will get that opportunity. I’ve known Candice for about twelve years or so through my involvement on a few different HOA boards. We’ve had to deal directly with each other on numerous issues throughout the years, including a few in which we held opposing positions. In all of our interactions she never once failed to behave in a professional manner toward me, even when I was being more emotional than professional. HOA matters can get quite heated and I’ve seen her handle even the most difficult situations with composure. I’ve heard all the “Candy” stories and all I can say in response to those stories is I’ve never seen Candice behave that way. Does she have the temperament necessary for the position? I believe she does.

Also, I place a lot of value on a person’s ability to be thoughtful, to have a firm grasp on the complexities of a particular issue. It is not just enough to be able to articulate your position on certain issues, you must have a clearly defined position to start with. That comes from a broad understanding of the issues. One must have both clarity of speech and clarity of mind. In watching Candice during her previous time on the board, dealing with her directly in meetings, and reading her positions on some of the key issues facing the county today, I have no doubt she possesses both.

District One – Ken Robinson

Again, this is a candidate I will not be able to vote for until the general election, but once he has cleared the primary he easily has my vote. Ken is media and public relations savvy, I’ll give him that. His is probably the best run campaign in the county. But behind the well-oiled machine is a lot of substance to back it up. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Ken only two or three times (he probably wouldn’t recognize me if I knocked him down on the street), but I have followed most of his conversations on the Delusional Duck blog, and I’ve read all of his position papers. The fact he has position papers indicates the amount of effort he has already put into the job he is seeking. Anyone can churn out a couple five or six word slogans; it takes a little more time and effort to develop a position paper. As a voter, I’m far more concerned with the hows and whys than I am with the whats. A candidate can tell me he is for any particular issue—say smaller government or better schools—but I want to know why he is for it (proves to me he has a reason for his position and isn’t just parroting the stance of the day), and how he plans to achieve it. Ken, thus far, has given me that.

I’m also impressed with Ken’s level of energy and involvement. There seem to have been few, if any, key events that Ken hasn’t attended. As someone once told me, if you want to know who is emotionally committed to a project, schedule a meeting at 5:00 PM on a Friday and see who attends. Consistently, Ken has been attending the 5:00 PM Friday meetings. And from his discussions on Delusional Duck this is the same approach he brought to his tenure as president of the Swan Point HOA.

Speaking of the Duck, the fact Ken has been consistently a participant there and has made himself available to all, including his detractors, indicates he isn’t afraid to face the public and be open in his actions as a commissioner. In a time when the board seems to become more insular by the minute, a truly open and accessible commissioner becomes more and more critical.

District Two – Rick Campbell

Finally, someone I can vote for in the primary! I’ve had the chance to sit down with Rick a few times in the last year and discuss several different issues. To be honest, Rick and I disagree on a few points, but I have to say I respect Rick for the process by which he has come to his conclusions. There hasn’t been a single topic I’ve heard Rick speak to that he hasn’t done his homework on. His are not positions of convenience or affiliation, even when they align, but positions of careful thought and consideration. He, too, participates on Delusional Duck and I have always been impressed with his breadth of knowledge on certain issues. He has reported numerous times from meetings I didn’t know were occurring that were being held by groups and commissions I didn’t know existed. His efforts in support of his community have been tireless.

One should want for their representative a person whose interest in the community predates and exceeds their candidacy for elected office. I’d be suspicious of any individual who suddenly began to care about the issues only after deciding to run for office. No candidate has convinced me more of his motivations for running for office than Rick has. He leans into his discussions on the issues. His eyes practically light up as he asserts his position on something. This man doesn’t just have his head in the game; he has his heart in the game, too. When talking with Rick, I can’t help but get excited about things I’ve never even heard of until then. That sort of passion and enthusiasm is sorely needed on a board that has collectively appeared to be catatonic at times.

Board of Education – Jennifer Abell

I’ve only known Jennifer personally for about a year and a half now, but I’ve heard her name repeated for years—Jennifer Abell was the only one who listened to us. Jennifer Abell was the only one who seemed to care about what we thought. Jennifer Abell was the only one who took the time to meet with us. And on and on. One of the complaints against the board of commissioners has been how detached they are from the people, how they do everything in lock-step, moving as a single body instead of as a group of independent thinkers serving together on the board. You haven’t heard those arguments made quite as much when talking about the BOE, but I think they apply. I’ve sat in BOE meetings where members have actually said that they think the board should be more united, should present a more uniform public face, that dissent among the ranks weakens the board’s position. The problem with that mentality is that board members are not elected to come to consensus, to be unified, to move as one, but to represent the best interests of the public. And if that requires dissent and debate, then that is what the public deserves.

It is one thing to oppose the majority just for the sake of causing waves. Fortunately, I’ve never seen Jennifer take a stance for such a reason. Even in instances where I disagreed with her position, I respected the fact she held that position for the right reasons. Hers has always been a position of openness and transparency. Her blog, which was met not just with consternation by the rest of the board, but with attempts at reprisal and punishment, has proven to be a valuable educational resource. Where other board members continue (and prefer) to hold the public at arm’s length, Jennifer has not been afraid to throw herself to the wolves (so to speak). Again, that sort of accessibility is uncommon and needed.

So, there you have it folks. Four races, four candidates. I’m not expecting you to agree with my choices, or even to agree with my assessments of these candidates. You have your pre-existing notions and biases just as I have mine. Your opinions and views are just as clouded by your own personal experiences as mine are. As the ad says, your mileage may vary.