Election politics heating up early in Whitley County

A few years back during one of those years when we had about a dozen people running for jailer, I was in the office on a Sunday evening making phone calls to jailer candidates and doing interviews with them over the telephone.

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

This was about two weeks before the election, and I started the interview with a pretty simple, easy question. Why are you running for jailer?

“Boy, that’s a good question. I’ll have to think about that one,” was one candidate’s initial reply.

You’ll be pleased to know that he didn’t get elected nor did he get his party’s nomination.

Let me just say that if the public really knew some of the characters that have run for office over the years were like, boy would you be worried.

Fortunately, most of the folks that run for office are doing so for good reasons. To their credit, most at least start out sincerely wanting to make a difference.

It also worth noting that sometimes we, the voters, get what we deserve when it comes to elected officials. Too often elections tend to be popularity contests rather than about issues.

Let me offer a good example. Several years ago, I was interviewing a candidate for county attorney about six weeks before the primary election. I asked the candidate what he felt were the major issues in the race. He responded, “You’re the first person to ask me about the issues.”

If you want better government, then here is a thought. Learn about the issues, meet the candidates, and make then talk to you about something important besides what cousin of yours they went to school with, or what relative of yours they used to live right down the road from when they were growing up.

I bring up these stories up because next year most Whitley County elected offices will be up for election. The election season is already in overdrive with at least half a dozen candidates having made announcements that they are running for office on social media.

I was talking politics with a friend of mine the other day, and we both agreed that we have never seen the election season start so early. It is going to be an interesting, annoying and hectic few months until the May Primary election takes place, or at least it will be for me.

On the other hand, our advertising representative, Melissa Hudson, should have a field day with it. (Did I mention she gets paid commission…LOL.)

Election years bring with them tons of rumors, which most of the time are at least mostly, if not entirely, false.

One office holder told me about when he was running for office the first time around, and an older lady stopped by his business to talk with him. She was sincerely concerned because she had heard about his “drug problem.” The would be office holder assured her that he didn’t have a drug problem and pulled out two of his hairs, which he gave her. He told her that she could go get the hairs tested if she still had concerns.

For those of you thinking about running for office, let me point out that the filing period for the May Primary election runs from Nov. 3 through Jan. 7, 2022. All Whitley County offices are on the ballot except for circuit court clerk and commonwealth’s attorney.

In addition, there will be races for state representative, congressman and Rand Paul’s U.S. Senate seat.

Think you could do better than the officials we already have in place? Do you have good ideas for how to fix things in our community? Do you have thick skin?

If so, then maybe you ought to think about running for office yourself.