Why This Election Matters

Each even numbered year, the airwaves and internet are filled with exhortations to support or oppose any one of the various state and federal representatives. "Vote for Bob, the people's choice!" competes with "Vote Steve, for a happier tomorrow," while dozens of pundits urge us to pick a side. However, those elections only touch our lives in the broadest of ways. The President and Congress set the basic course of the nation, but most of our routine concerns are not, and cannot be, their main focus.

Despite how little attention most pay to borough government, the decisions made here in Aldan impact our lives most directly. Our property tax and fee levels are set by borough council, collected and processed by our tax collector, and then used to fund the basic items we only notice when they are not there - such as trash removal, street repairs, snow plowing, the police department, and our parks and ball fields.

The best government is always a balance of a shared, common vision and divergent interests. Truly effective leadership is both cooperative and respectfully competitive. Rather than getting locked in partisan stalemates, true, bipartisan government works together to find solutions.

However, when the only people working together are of the same party, and share the same ideology, a "groupthink" mentality emerges, and the only ideas that shine through are the ones with the party stamp of approval. Creativity can only blossom when people with different perspectives and life experiences come together.

Aldan has a single-party borough government. This has been the case since the original "Founders Day" 116 years ago. Until recently, the Republican Party had such an overwhelming registration edge that their leadership was never seriously challenged.

Fortunately, for all of us in Aldan, our perspectives and party affiliations have broadened over the years. Only recently, Democratic registrants have risen to a level where their voices and alternative viewpoints carry any significant weight with the borough government. Today, Democrats account for approximately 50% of Aldan's registered voters, yet account for 0% of the borough's elected positions.

Aldan needs a broader coalition in its government. Democrats must stand up and be counted. We want to ensure that the borough government is the best it can possibly be. For only the second time since 1993, we have a full ballot of candidates on both tickets in Aldan, giving us our best chance to make sure that our best ideas have a chance to be heard.

Aldan deserves better. We deserve to have a government that insists on hearing all sides of an issue, not just the party's approved opinion. With your support, we can win in November, and bring a new perspective to Aldan Borough. Won't you join us in our effort?