The fortunes of the two political parties in Marion County is self-evident as the period for filing declarations of candidacy for the city-county council races officially opened today. Marion County Democrats put out a press release announcing that all 15 incumbent city-county councilors would be seeking re-election to the seats they currently hold, most of whom filed this morning.
On the Republican side, meanwhile, incumbent councilors are dropping like flies. Last month, veteran councilor James Bradford abruptly resigned from the council. Earlier this month, long-time GOP councilor and minority leader Phil Borst announced he would not seek re-election. A string of others are now following suit. Isaac Randolph, Lynn McWhirter and Scott Schneider have all announced they are not seeking re-election. Many expect Earl Salisbury to make that same decision. At least three of these seats I count as winnable by the Democrats.
And while today was the first day for filing for the 2007 municipal election primary in May, the Marion County Clerk's office has posted absolutely no information on the election at the Election Board's website. A check of press releases issued by the Clerk's office produces the same result. Is there a reason we want to keep information about this year's election a secret from the public?
It costs nothing and requires no petitions to file to run for office. It's a standard one-page form used statewide for all candidacies. Fill it out and get it to the Election Board downtown and you are on the ballot in the primary! If you spend less than $100, you dont have to file campaign finance form.
ReplyDeleteHere's the official Candidate's Guide : http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/pdfs/Candidate_Guide.pdf
Good luck!
You have until noon, Feb.23 to file your declaration of candidacy. Here's another useful page of info
ReplyDeletewww.in.gov/sos/elections/candidates/index.html
Good luck !
When you have the dumpster divers of the world out there ready to look only in to your background and not their own party's you can't blame anyone. The time will come, hands will be caught in cookie jars and finally Indy will wake up.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, great job there Beth White! Time to hold you accountable for everything you pointed out as wrong.
There should be something on the website about the election and related matters.
ReplyDeleteBut, give the woman a slight breather. She's been in office three weeks. There's four years of Doris Ann's messes to clean up, and I ave it on good authority there are many. Many more than anticipated.
Schneider's district is overwhelmingly Republican. He's shrill on non-budget issues, but on fiscal matters, he's usually spot-on. He took his dad's place on the council, and he's much better. Not that it would've taken much.
ReplyDeleteMs. McWhirter got spanked in township elections last fall, and has a hateful streak anyway. Good riddance. Would Ms. Pfisterer please follow closely behind? Then, Mr. Plowman.
Ike would not win another term. His 2003 election was a fluke and he knew it. That district is mostly in Pike, and it's overwhelmingly Democratic now.
On the D side, a few of them should've been thrown over the edge, too: Mr. President, Sherron Franklin, King Ro and Dane Mahern come to mind.
Not enough Phil Borsts and Joanne Sanderses on this council. Ditto Mr. Salsberry, a nice man, and Jackie Nytes, Mary M. Adams.
Whatever happens, at least Bradford's gone. Loose cannon.
10:19, it doesn't matter whether there are "four years of Doris Ann's messes to clean up" or not. There is a primary election coming, and it is Beth White's responsibility to communicate with the public about it, or at least to post information about filing for candidacy. Makes me wonder what she's thinking - or if she's thinking at all.
ReplyDelete"...at least to post information about filing for candidacy. Makes me wonder what she's thinking - or if she's thinking at all."
ReplyDeleteFrankly I've found most information about this year's election not from IndyGov and the new Clerk's office but rather from Todd Rokita on the State SoS website. What gets confusing is concerning campaign finance - the info from Rokita is geared towards statewide or General Assembly elections and its different for local elections.
Local elections are governed by precisely the same campaign finance law as statewide or Assembly elections. Anybody expending over $100 in pursuit of an elective office in Indiana must follow the campaign finance reporting requirements, whether for dogcatcher, mayor or governor.
ReplyDeleteElections are governed by state law, not local ordinances so It's logical a statewide website would be more appropriate than 92 county sites.
Detailed maps of the 25 Council Districts can be found on IndyGov.org in the CityCounty Council webpages section.
A Hoosier can always mosey on down to the County Courthouse and talk in person with the Election Board and pick up the forms and instructions.
ReplyDelete