Chaos or Community

We have fifty days until Election Day 2020, and two weeks until the first votes may be cast. Unfortunately, the City of Hagerstown’s nonpartisan election just became illegitimate after four current candidates for City Council announced they will now be running for the open state delegate seat.

The voters must be very confused by this Washington County Republican Central Committee (WCRCC) untimely appointment process. Candidates Bruchey, Heffernan, McIntire, and Thiam are already on the ballot for a council seat and it is too late to withdraw or have a name removed from the ballot. Therefore, a vote for any of them could be a wasted vote. When every vote should count and every voter should believe that a candidate who decides to run for a particular seat is, indeed, committed to that position, we now have chaos fomented by the WCRCC.

The WCRCC should avoid having active candidates in the appointment process. The democratic election process should always be above chaos.