An "Off" Year Election

The race for the newly created mayoral position in New London was one of the few noteworthy local contests that were decided last night. Democrat Daryl Justin Finizio successfully challenged his party's establishment. With that exception, there was a lack of cliffhangers as turnout was light.   Did you vote? I cast my ballot, but I had to shake my head as I reviewed few choices here in Colchester. There was only one candidate for first selectman. I was asked to pick three selectmen out of three listed and there were no challengers for several other town positions. I am told Montville choices were equally slim, and incumbents faced few serious challenges across the region. It struck me as similar to what voters must have faced in the former Soviet Union, where elections were exercises in rubberstamping choices of the one party system. Are civic minded citizens discouraged by today's politics? Is the lack of voter participation in off year local elections an unhealthy sign for our democracy? On a national level, attempts to discourage voter eligibility and radical agendas received a serious pushback. The latest union busting move by Ohio Governor John Kasich was a stinging defeat for him - and rightfully so. Even many conservative Republicans had trouble getting behind an all encompassing anti-abortion bill in Mississippi, and the measure failed in a big way. People need to get fired up, since it is clear that the public is fed up with politics as usual. With so much at stake, voter apathy in any election will send the wrong message to our lawmakers.