Forget the Straight Party Line in Media Borough's Local Election

As a candidate who did not make it past the this spring, I know how hard it is to get out there and round up the supportive troupes. It's no easy task to create a managed, simplified campaign that allows the voting public to know what you are all about within a few bullet points or "buzzworthy" statements, particularly when you are running unendorsed by your party of choice.

Speaking of the Party of Your Choice, allow me to give you--the voting public--just a few pointers when stepping into the polls to decide who will be seated at the Media Borough Council table for months to come.

Don't Vote a Straight Party Line—On a National level, choosing all of those candidates who fit the bill of your party of choice makes sense. The choices you make will affect thousands, perhaps millions, of this country's residents and, on a different scale, the entire world. On a local borough level, however, the straight party line is not necessary. What is more important is to choose the candidate that best falls into a category that suits your personal and business needs.

For instance:

• Which candidates possess the knowledge best suited to assist in creating and maintaining the borough as a strong economic center for Delaware County? (Do they have a business background or a public relations background? Do they wish to serve for the entire community or a select few? Very important questions.)

• Which candidates support the things you and your family love, such as, any youth organizations, cultural events, arts centers, theatre, or museums? (If a candidate does not support, respect, assist, or at least patronize the important institutions in Media in even the smallest way then perhaps that tells you a bit about their motives. Ask yourself this question: If you were on borough council, would you at least walk into the , , or the Youth Center to see how things were going and how you could assist? If the candidates don't do that, perhaps you should think before pushing the button next to their name.)

• Who has lived in Media Borough the longest amount of time? (This is a loaded question, as it can work both for and against the candidate. One who has been in Media their entire lives may have a lot of "pay back" to give, due to previous encounters with various politicians or organizations, or have a vision of Media that does not move the borough forward. On the other hand, one who has lived here for many years knows all of the players in town and how to deal with those they shake hands with without rocking the boat while they get the job done.)

• Who is most involved in Media's clubs or organizations? (Look at each candidate's track record and find out prior to voting who belongs to civic, cultural, or political organizations. Do any of them belong to Media Rotary, Media Youth Center, attend a town church or temple, volunteer at any museums or the theatre? This will tell you a lot about the candidate. Also, if they do belong to an organization, when did they join? Did they join recently, merely for political purposes, or were they lifetime members? This is a very important ingredient as to who they are and what makes them tick.)

• Who are their friends and supporters? (This is a BIG portion of the identification of the truth of a candidate. It is very true that a man--or woman--is known by the company they keep. Ask yourself if their intimate circle or supporters have been around the person in question for a long length of time or did they simply "find" the names they felt were a good addition to their campaign in the past few months? Check into their family records and family members as well. Why not? It can only help.)

• Finally, what do you know about them? (Are you simply reading a brochure and allowing the editor of that flyer to describe the candidate to you, or have you done enough well-thought out research to have a good grip on your opinion of them? Do you hear people discuss the candidate at all within your own circle of friends and/or family? What do the town's movers and shakers think of each candidate?)

The point here is simple: Don't be a Robot. Don't allow the editors of the brochures and the flyers to tell you who you should vote for. Don't just sit on your couch and say, "Well, this person is on the ballot within my party of choice so I am voting for them." What good will that do? The person you choose may not appreciate who you are, what makes you tick, or respect the organization you uphold.

Only vote for the candidates of your choice after you answer important questions. Some issues may not even be brought up in those flyers and brochures. That is all marketing, folks—don't be a zombie at the polls.

Choose the best candidates that will move Media forward in the months to come....Forget about the Straight Party Line.