Want change? Run for office

The date of the 2020 Primary Election draws ever closer and, soon, voters will be going to the ballot to make their choice on who they want to move forward to the General Election to represent them.

While there are plenty of choices on the national level—a total of 16 people are running for United States Senate between both Democratic and Republican candidates—the options are far more slim the closer one gets to local government with a few exceptions. In Encampment, three people are running for town council and, in Saratoga, that number has dropped from eight to five. Elsewhere, however, little choice is offered.

Take, for example. Medicine Bow. Despite the small population of the town, the amount of wind energy projects popping up are making it extremely relevant. Yet, one person is running for the unexpired mayoral term, one person is running for the unexpired council term and nobody is running for the two four year seats open on the council.

Hanna is much the same way, with only one person running while there are two open seats. In Riverside, two council seats are up for election with only one person running.

We at the Saratoga Sun feel that we cannot stress enough the importance of running for local office. Though we do not want to discount the importance that voting can have in a community, it is only important if voters have an option at the ballot. If there is nobody to vote for, then how can one be represented?

The good news is, even though the filing deadline has passed, people can still run a write-in campaign. We do understand that, often, people are hesitant to file themselves because they would rather wait and see who does run for their local office. In the case of Medicine Bow, Hanna and Riverside, a write-in campaign can ensure one’s success to make it to the General Election and even onto the governing body for one of those three towns.

As a resident of your town, young or old, if you want to see change you have to be the one to initiate that change. If you’ve been waiting for a sign if now is your time, consider this your sign. There’s still time, though the days are passing fast.

If you are still doubting that being active in local government can’t make much of a difference, look no further than our own retiring Senator Mike Enzi. Before being elected to the United States Senate in 1996, he served in the Wyoming Senate from 1991 to 1997 and, before that, in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1987 to 1991. Before all of that, however, he served as mayor of Gillette at the age of 30.

We at the Saratoga Sun encourage anyone who has called for change in their local communities, anyone who has briefly considered a run for local office, to seize this moment. Voting is one of the most important things a person can do but, for it to be effective, we need candidates.

Finally, if you do decide to launch a write-in campaign, get ahold of us here at the Sun. We can work with you to make sure that your name gets out there before the primary on August 18.