01/04/2023
For anyone who has not been a candidate or helped run a campaign, it is exhausting work. But you do it because you believe it will make things better. Every candidate has their own “why” that drove them to put their name in the hat and devote hours upon hours of their lives showing up, knocking doors, shaking hands. Reasons they think they would be better than their opponent, qualities they think makes them the best fit for the job.
For me, I ran because I wanted the people to have a voice. I ran because I believed, and still do believe, that everyday people who understand what it is like to be a person at the backbone of our economy should have a say in how we run our cities, counties, states, and country. I ran because I wanted District 1 to have a say, and not be stuck voting for “all unopposed candidates” regardless of whether you agreed they were fit or not. And I was that name on the ballot. Some of you voted for me, and some of you voted for my opponent. Either way, I thank you for caring enough to show up to the polls and make your voices heard. Even though it wasn’t me that you chose, I was proud that you got to make a choice.
Well, District 1, today our elected Justice of the Peace was sworn into office. The person you chose for this position, Lance Johnson, took his oath as our JP. And then shortly after, resigned. Under our current state statutes, this means that our newly elected governor will be tasked with appointing our next Justice of the Peace. The same newly elected governor who lost the popular vote in our county now gets to decide who she thinks will best represent us. There will be no special election, no votes, no voice from us whatsoever. Every bit of choice we had in our Justice of the Peace is stripped away from us for the next 2 full years. Why have we given this power to the state? How could any state-wide official know our neck of the woods well enough to choose someone who will be the voice on the quorum court we deserve?
I think we need a ballot initiative that would allow us to have some say in filling of local vacancies, who’s with me?
After taking his oath of office on Jan. 3, Justice of the Peace for District 1 in Washington County Lance Johnson, tendered his resignation as a member of the quorum court.