ELECTION SEASON IS UPON US – Dad Gone Wild

ELECTION SEASON IS UPON US – Dad Gone Wild

ELECTION SEASON IS UPON US

“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.” – J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye

“The weak-minded choose to hate,” she said. “It’s the least painful thing to do, isn’t it?”
― Yiyun Li, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl

I think it’s safe to say that school board election season is now officially upon us. In three weeks Nashville residents will be given the opportunity to cast their vote in 5 races, though two are uncontested. While next week, Metro Council member will appoint a candidate to fill the vacant seat on the board created by the untimely passing of board chair Anna Shepherd.

COVID means that the tried and true methods of campaigning – door knocking, public meetings, and polling station canvassing – are not viable this year. Candidates are being forced to find alternative means in which to get their message out. Mailers, phone calls, and social media posts have become even more vital than they were in previous elections. All of those methods have a financial cost connected to them which in turn makes fundraising, even as it becomes more difficult, more vital.

In the past, a candidate could overcome a lack of donations by just getting out and knocking more doors than their opponent. Not this year, show up at someone’s door unsolicited and you are likely to have a voter recoil and cast a vote for your opponent.

The current conditions also place more emphasis on the virtual town halls being held by numerous groups. NOAH just completed a series of forums with candidates and earlier in the week the Tennessean’s David Plaza hosted a forum with candidates in all 5 races.

The topics of Wednesday’s forum consisted mainly of the expected – school re-opening, equity CONTINUE READING: ELECTION SEASON IS UPON US – Dad Gone Wild