The onslaught of presidential politics continues as November draws nearer, and students are getting more and more involved. We're joining campaigns, getting our friends interested and advertising our political allegiances through T-shirts, bumper stickers and even our Facebook profiles.
In the Obama versus McCain race, everyone has an opinion. But while we're busy advocating for either to become the next president, significant local elections here in Arizona are going unnoticed. Sure, local politics doesn't have all the glitz and glamour of its national counterpart, but when the people we put in office make decisions that hit so close to home, it only makes sense to know who you're voting for and why.
Its that time of year again when bright signs litter fences and street corners. Signs with pictures of smiling candidates — some posing with their equally cheery families — and a clever catch phrase.
Come Sept. 2, the Democratic and Republican primaries will yield contenders for the top spots in Maricopa County and statewide. We'll be picking the Democrats to face incumbent Andrew Thomas for County Attorney and Joe Arpaio for Maricopa County Sheriff. We'll be selecting nominees for our congressmen and congresswomen. Several seats are open in the Arizona Legislature.
Sure, you make not like Andrew Thomas, but if you were 18 when he was elected, did you vote for his opponent? Yeah, you might think Sheriff Joe is a jerk, but is that because everyone else does? Have you read up on Dan Saban, the Democrat vying for Joe's job as "America's Toughest Sheriff?" Once you understand the issues, making an informed decision is a whole lot easier.
In District 5 (ASU's congressional district), sitting congressman Harry Mitchell is facing a slew of competitors, including Republican Laura Knaperek, a 10-year veteran of the state legislature who lost her seat in 2006.
There are tons of Web sites and blogs dedicated to telling you everything you'd want to know about a race, and there's no reason not to utilize those resources.
Eventually, Arizonans will complain about the candidates who win on Nov. 4. We'll wonder how they got into office — maybe after a few weeks, maybe after a few years. But we think you only have the right to complain if you tried to do something about it.
