LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor:
“And somebody spoke and I went into a dream.”
It was at a candidate forum. It featured the five contenders for the city council’s Place 2 in the upcoming San Marcos municipal election. Standard stuff, right? Well, yes and no.
There was a time when it would have been. But over the last few years, especially when it comes to political debates and forums, the standard stuff has been turned inside out. Simple speaking was the first out the door as shouting muscled its way in.
And the dream? It became a nightmare, a hellscape of doom and gloom. Calm, rational political debate was thrown under the bus, replaced by a crazed carnival of spectacle. It was about eyeballs and ratings, not issues and solutions. And it seemed sometimes that the only things we learned about this candidate, as opposed to that candidate, were the inane images dredged up by name-calling and descriptions of dubious dietary distinctions. They’re eating the what?
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times at election forums and debates: “I’m not running against so-and-so, I’m running for this, that, or the other office.” And too often, that seemed to be the signal for the personal zingers to begin.
I was ready to go into a dream as soon as the first round began. It seemed like the only way to avoid what, on some level, I imagined would be a messy food fight. Not so. Not by a long shot! It was going to be a serious discussion of qualifications, issues, and visions.
I was expecting the worst. But you know what? I got the best.
My point is not to weigh in on the positions of the candidates — we’ll all have plenty of time for that as the campaigns move into high gear. Rather, it is my intention to share my wonder at civility and candor the attendees and I witnessed that evening.
Butcher? Baker? Candlestick maker? Well, they weren’t in the candidate mix. But each of the five talked about their work. The incumbent. The businessman. The former Marine. The civic and community activist. And one who made it clear he didn’t consider himself special — he was just a regular guy.
None of them talked about each other. None of them talked about a city on the brink. Blame was not the name of the game. They all talked about the opportunities the city offered them — and offers to each of us. They talked about the very real challenges we face in a time of limited resources and a growing population. They prioritized. And they answered questions — from the moderator and from the attendees.
What really came through was their pride in our city, their interest in helping to shape its future. They were positive and forward looking. As a grizzled and cynical old veteran of political campaigns, I was impressed. There was a freshness, a can-do attitude, and an absence of “I’m an expert in this stuff and I know best.”
For the candidates, this was the first in a lengthy series of job interviews. There will be other forums, and we can expect a debate or two. And with a field of five candidates, the potential for a runoff election is very real.
And we’ll also be voting for one of two candidates for the Place 1 position on city council. I’m looking forward to the candidate forum for that one, as well. Knowing both candidates will make for a difficult choice, but I know they’ll each make a good case for their leadership.
With the election still more than a month away, all five candidates have made a serious commitment to the people of San Marcos — to explain their positions, to answer our questions, and to give us their best as we evaluate them.
Understanding that, we owe them our best, too. We owe them our attention. We owe them our consideration. We owe them a fair analysis of their positions. To the extent we can, we should attend a candidate forum or debate. Meet them. Ask a question or two. Read their statements and policy positions.
But even more, we owe them — and ourselves — participation in this exercise in democracy.
If this election follows recent trends, fewer than ten percent of San Marcos voters will turn up at the polls to select two out of six of our city council members — a full one-third.
We can do better than that. A strong and healthy democracy depends on it. And voting is the most important line of defense.
Folks not registered to vote still have time. The last day to register for the Nov. 4 election is Monday, Oct. 6.
Voters eligible to cast ballots by mail have through Friday, Friday, Oct. 24 to request a ballot. Forms are available online at the Hays County Elections Office website and can be submitted by mail.
Early voting begins on Monday, Oct. 20 and, with the exception of Sundays, runs through Friday, Oct. 31. The early voting locations in San Marcos are: Broadway Polling Location 401 Broadway #A Hays County Elections Office
120 Stagecoach Trail LBJ Student Center
Texas State University There will also be 15 Election Day voting locations throughout the city.
Voters can vote at any polling location during Early Voting or on Election Day. But wherever they choose to vote, they must bring along the proper photo ID: a Texas Driver License, a Texas Election ID Certificate, a Texas Personal ID Card, a Texas Handgun License, a United States Citizenship Certificate with Photo, a United States Military ID Card, or a United States Passport (Book or Card).
We can’t rely on somebody else’s voice or somebody else’s dream to decide this election for us. We have to speak with our own voice and dream our own dream. And that means getting out to vote.
Sincerely, Jon Leonard San Marcos
