Local parties begin campaign season, encourage student involvement

Although election day is November 7, planning and campaigning starts well before, including in Monroe County. \nAll three parties are urging students to pay more attention to local races. \n"What I find disappointing is the lack of attention local government receives," Monroe County resident and Democrat Matt Weber said. "Local officials are the ones making the decisions that affect everyday life for students in Bloomington. This year, we will be electing County Council members and County Commissioners that will be responsible for making decisions that affect everyone in Bloomington." \nMonroe County Republican Chairman Pat Salzman said IU students would benefit from greater attention to local races. \n"The tendency is to gear more toward national elections, but if you live here, it's more important to pay attention to the local elections," she said. "When tax rates go up, rent goes up. Students have a large economic impact here, and if they want a voice, they need to look at these local elections … the candidates' phone numbers and things are all on the Internet; they're just waiting for someone to call them and ask questions and discuss things."\nWeber said the ferventness of his party's efforts is the same now as it was months ago. Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Andrew Horning agreed, but said he thinks more politics are sometimes involved in campaigning than in working once a candidate is elected. \n"For some people, there are more politics to the elections these days than in the actual elected terms in office," he said. \nFestivals, farmers' markets and doorsteps have been the primary venues for county and state candidates in need of Bloomington's electorate. In late September and October, the Monroe County Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave., will host a series of public forums that will operate as question-and-answer sessions between candidates and members of the community. \nAttendance at such events are generally between 20 and 50 people, depending on the race, according to Salzman. "Because some of them will be broadcast, many people just watch them at home." \nTelevised debates between gubernatorial candidates from the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties are also scheduled for September and October, although Horning campaign chair Sam Goldstein said he has issues with the debate schedule set up by incumbent Frank O'Bannon's staff. \n"Sept. 22 is the first one -- that's also a day they're broadcasting the Formula One Race in Indy and the Olympics are also in the same time slot," he said. "Oct.10 -- that's the first game of the World Series. And Oct. 12 -- the second game of the World Series. And they're not allowed to be broadcast once seven days after the debate have passed. They're counting on no one watching." \nThe issues in local and state elections this year range in topic from the commercial to the ideological. \nSteve Dillon, Libertarian candidate for judge, is running against Republican Randy Bridges. He said he is running on a platform that consists mostly on a focus of "reformation (of criminals), not just vindictive punishment."\nIn the Republican camp, the real issue this time around is property rights and commerce. \nFranklin Andrew, Republican candidate for county commissioner, spoke about the state of commerce in Monroe County. \n"The previous holders of these positions have allowed an atmosphere which has led to loss of business, and now even has lead to the burning of a house and the suspected arson of the Republican Headquarters," he said. "This atmosphere is scaring businesses off. There's this 'I've got mine' attitude among some people once they get elected -- we've got to reverse that philosophy ... we've got to convince business to come back."\nCounty Democrats said healthcare reform is of highest priority, both to candidates and to the majority of the voting populace.\nThis year's elections are Nov. 7, and further information on candidates can be found at the Monroe County Democrats', Republicans' and Libertarians' Web sites at www.monroedems.org, www.monroe-gop.com and www.lpin.org, as well as information on campaign fund-raising which can be found at Indiana's Secretary of State's Web site, www.state.in.us/sos/elections.