Carmel Convo
The municipal primary election of 2019 is behind us and many candidates are breathing a sigh of relief that the campaign is over.
It’s a stressful time of year for political candidates and their families, and so now with the Republican nominees in place we can turn to the work of continuing to make Hamilton County one of the best places to live in Indiana.
I wanted to quickly share a few thoughts about the 2019 election:
Countywide turnout was low compared to midterm or presidential elections, but that’s always the case. Countywide it was about 16 percent turnout which is about what it was in 2015. Carmel saw the highest turnout in 2019 with more than 20 percent of registered voters showing up the polls.
Elections can get nasty. Candidates are real people with families and it can be very tough for the entire family when an election turns negative. That being said, candidates need to have thick skins and it’s time to heal after an election. Candidates shouldn’t hold grudges and the focus needs to turn to helping the community. I successfully ran for Carmel City Council this year and I’m proud of the fact that we ran a positive campaign and did not attack others. I am going to actively continue to seek out feedback and guidance from those that might not have voted for me so I can understand their viewpoints and listen to advice on how I can improve as a public servant. We might disagree on certain issues but we all want our community to succeed. The best thing we all can do is continue to listen to one another and treat each other with respect.
Finally, I wanted to take a moment to honor a longtime elected official in Carmel who lost his election on May 7. Ron Carter has served the City of Carmel for 24 years as an at-large member of the City Council. I proudly voted for Ron and I consider him a friend, but even if you didn’t vote for Councilor Carter, I would urge you to reflect upon Carter’s legacy. Carmel would not be what it is today without Ron Carter. He was instrumental in extending the Monon Greenway from Indianapolis into Carmel and he helped found the Carmel Farmers Market. He’s tirelessly worked to better his community for more than two decades and he deserves our gratitude. If you see Ron at the farmers market on a Saturday morning, please tell him thank you for all he’s done.
Very nice article. I hope Hamilton County Republicans have similarly positive feelings for their Democratic friends and neighbors. We are people too and are just as sensitive to negative attacks which accuse us of being “anti-God,” “anti-life,” etc. etc. We may disagree on policy but are just like you in every other respect. Adam speaks truth….. just remember every hateful comment directed at a political “opponent” attacks a real human being!