A stealth election?
Ken Odor

Oct 30, 2007

That could be the case, unless interest picks up the last week before Hanover voters go to the polls Nov. 6.
So far, like a high tech stealth fighter, this local election appears to be sneaking under the radar.
One candidate said as he went door to door seeking votes last week that, to his amazement, he encountered several citizens unaware there was an election Nov. 6.
With all the campaign signs at every intersection, it’s hard to understand how anyone could be unaware of the pending polling.
But there are some reasons for this.
There’re no top ticket battles this time around. None of the county’s representatives to the General Assembly face opposition.
Likewise, not one constitutional officer faces a fight to retain his seat.
For instance, Trip Chalkley defeated Kirby Porter and Rusty McGuire in a hotly contested Republican primary for the party’s nomination for Commonwealth’s Attorney earlier this year.
That battle seemed to generate almost as much interest as the upcoming election has, in which Chalkley is unopposed.
And then there are two candidates for the Soil and Water Conservation district, also unopposed.
So when Hanover voters enter the voting booth and draw the curtain next Tuesday, they really have only one decision to make.
But it’s a pretty darn important one.
The question will be, who do they want to represent them on the Board of Supervisors?
Here they have choices, indeed, in three districts, there will be three names from which to pick.
And there is plenty for voters to think about when making a choice.
Hanover, one of the most prosperous and successful counties in the Old Dominion, faces a future that, while bright, will bring with it the continual challenge to manage growth that a successful community attracts.
After the recent Comprehensive Plan update process, some think change on the board is needed. They think the county has grown too fast.
Others think that the group that has guided Hanover should continue steering the county toward the future, with a sound plan and a rate of growth recently (less than 2 percent) that some other burgeoning areas in Virginia would envy.
Regardless of which side you’re on, it would be tragic if a tiny minority of voters were left to make the decisions that will guide the county’s future.
If large numbers of satisfied, or dissatisfied voters stay home Nov. 6., thinking their votes won’t make a difference, it will be a victory for no one, except the energized true believers on whichever side prevails in each district.
So, trite as it may sound when repeated each cycle, the Local urges Hanoverians to study the candidates, make a choice and vote.
Remember, campaign signs don’t vote, PAC contributions don’t vote and newspaper endorsements don’t vote.
Citizens do, and at the local level they have great power to make a direct impact on life in their communities.
It’s a right and a privilege.
Don’t waste it.

(1) Comments • Email This Article