Westfield voter: Democrats need to vote in the Democratic primary

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Dear Editor:

Five years ago, my family made the decision to move to Hamilton County. We chose to live here for many of the same reasons you did – great schools, safe neighborhoods, and a thriving community.

I’ve dedicated my time to helping our community. I am a member of the Westfield Education Foundation; a firefighter in Indianapolis; I’m a student mentor with Westfield Washington Schools; I was a candidate for state senate in 2020; and I am your neighbor. Since we moved here, we’ve seen the county, and Westfield in particular, change and grow.

As the county has changed and grown, so has the opportunity for bipartisan representation. Every year, the Hamilton County Democratic Party recruits more candidates and wins more races than years before. I believe that 2023 will be no different. We have incredible Democrats running for office who exemplify the values and principles of Hamilton County residents.

In Westfield alone, we have a small business owner and an engineer running for City Council, both with years of experience managing people and processes. Across the county, we have pediatricians, immigrants, animal advocates, and more on the ballot. These candidates are your neighbors and are working hard for you in our community.

As you research the Democratic candidates in Westfield and throughout the county, I hope you will be inspired, as I am, to request a Democratic ballot in the primary on May 2. You may wonder why it is so important to vote in an uncontested primary, especially since that means you can’t vote in a contested election for another office. This isn’t throwing away your vote – this is making your voice heard in the strongest way possible.

By supporting candidates whose values include inclusivity, diversity, and people over politics, I believe voters will make it clear to everyone that candidates for office must share the ideals that make our communities great places to live.

Right now in Westfield, the idea of people over politics is being tested. When I ran for state senate in 2020, I received general advice from a Republican, who, like me, saw value in a bipartisan government. And now, as he runs for mayor of Westfield, that idea of bipartisanship has been attacked and subsequently abandoned.

I know Westfield voters value people over politics. Hamilton County voters should not lessen their voting impact by supporting the candidate they see as the least worst. They should make it clear that any candidate whose values don’t represent what makes our county great is someone who cannot earn their vote, regardless of the circumstances.

The growing support Democratic candidates have seen over the last couple of years is inspiring. I hope that the May 2 primary continues to show that voters value having a choice at the ballot box.

I hope you will join me in supporting the Democratic candidates this election season.

Ronnie Saunders
Westfield
Hamilton County Democratic Party, Vice Chair