The Consolidated Election is on April 4th this year. And, while the consolidated elections typically don’t draw a lot of voters, these are the elections that impact your bottom line. They have the potential to affect our livelihoods. Have you taken the time to find out which candidates will be on your ballot?
At the beginning of the year, NACC’s Board of Directors made the decision to move away from making endorsements in elections and chose not to reinstate our Political Action Committee (PAC). The Board decided to focus on education, advocacy, and “get out the vote” efforts.
Members of our Business Works Committee volunteered their time and talent to develop immediate goals and deliverables for our members. A Voter Guide and questionnaire were developed. A candidate forum was set. And, an Election Resources page was added to our website that provides information on each of the candidates for Naperville City Council as well as the candidates for Mayor. Every one of our Naperville candidates responded to our Voter Guide questions as well as a lengthier questionnaire. Every one of these candidates participated in our forum on February 22nd. If you haven’t viewed our Election Resources page yet, you can find a link here.
One part of the process of educating ourselves on the candidates that is often overlooked is temperament. Many of us understand the importance of holding our elected officials accountable. The same approach should be applied to our candidates for elected office. We hold them accountable when we vote. When you are checking out a candidate’s qualifications for office, pay attention to how they conduct themselves during the campaign. Conflict is a normal part of the conversation. Conflict is a good thing when both sides are respectful. Negativity and shifting the blame is a red flag. We’ve seen too many candidates say and do the most absurd things. Don’t get caught up in the noise. Many candidates and campaigns depend on it because it works.