Remember to vote local, too

Posted 10/28/14

The election is just a week away.

It seems hard to believe Election Day has arrived so quickly, or, depending on your point of view, taken so long to get here…and be over with.

Rhode …

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Remember to vote local, too

Posted

The election is just a week away.

It seems hard to believe Election Day has arrived so quickly, or, depending on your point of view, taken so long to get here…and be over with.

Rhode Islanders are fortunate to have such a lineup of qualified candidates on the state ticket. It makes for difficult choices in a good way, and that hasn’t always been the case in Rhode Island. Voters will also be asked to make choices on seven statewide referendums, which, in the closing days of the campaign, have been subjects of rallies, press conferences and even lawsuits. In short, a lot of attention has been focused on the state ballot.

All of this is positive, as it promises to bring out informed voters next Tuesday.

But, while the top of the ticket has held the spotlight, we urge Warwick voters not to gloss over local candidates.

In part, the lack of attention to local races is a product of the number of uncontested seats on the ballot. Out of the city’s nine wards, there are only contests in two – Ward 1 and Ward 3. Two names will appear on Ward 8 ballots, but only incumbent Joseph Gallucci is running. His Republican opponent has withdrawn, but that action came too late to change the ballot.

In races for state House and Senate seats, six incumbent legislators are unchallenged. There are races in Senate Districts 30 and 31 and in Representative District 22. In races for School Committee, District 1 and 2 incumbents face a contest while District 3 incumbent is unchallenged.

It is disheartening that there hasn’t been more interest in local races, even though it could be reasoned that incumbents are doing a great job and that’s why others aren’t stepping forward.

Nonetheless, as the Beacon staff found in preparing election coverage and profiles for this Thursday’s edition, unchallenged incumbents, as well as those in the limited number of races on the ballot, have suggestions on what this community and the state should do going forward.

Some of that coverage starts with today’s story of the issues facing School Committee candidates. In Thursday’s paper we’ll dig deeper with candidate profiles and their answers to our questionnaires.

With all the hype over state races and issues, we urge readers not to dismiss our local candidates. Remember, the winners will also be running the show.

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