Editorial: I Don’t Care How, Just Vote

By Andrea Arens

I ran for office once. Only once, and that was enough.

Running for office requires you to put yourself out there to criticism, to be asked silly questions about things you have no control over, and to be berated by people who are just fed up with whatever they believe is unjust at the moment.

I lost the election by 11 votes. A female transplant with no history in Peotone, lost a trustee seat by 11 votes to a male incumbent with generational ties and endorsed by the only mayoral candidate. Turned out the candidate that did win, moved out of town, and resigned the seat less than 60 days after the election was finalized, and the mayor appointed the seat to someone of his choosing.

Whether that was right or wrong doesn’t matter, it was legal. And truthfully, I took up reporting after I lost and was offered the Editor position just about six months after I took up reporting. The compliments I receive, the increase in subscriptions, and the chance to inform readers tell me I’m exactly where I belong.

But think of this, the 2021 consolidated election saw only 606 people vote. Roughly less than 15% of the total population of Peotone. The 2019 consolidated election was even worse with only 279 people voting. We elect representatives to represent us in matters that affect this village and yet, if I ask any trustees how many emails they get, their answer would most likely be none to very little. The board meetings are public, every second and fourth Monday of every month and are even posted to YouTube and, yet on any given night, there’s maybe three-to-four people there and 30-40 views of the meeting on YouTube.

As members of a community, we’re tasked with being involved. Notifying our elected representatives of our concerns, being involved in the process, and most importantly – voting.

My son turned 18 on the 22nd, and the first thing I made him do was register to vote. He will be voting on April 4. It’s my job as his parent to make him understand the importance of voting and what it means to be a good citizen. Truthfully, I don’t believe anyone has any room to complain about anything in their community until they become an active member in it; and that means voting.

Sure my husband took on the task of running for a trustee seat. He thinks he can contribute, and I’m thankful to him and all the candidates for their service and wanting to serve. The pay is crap and the headaches are huge but, yet, these people stepped up, and they should be commended for that.

I don’t care how you vote, just make sure you do. This community is only as great as the people and their actions in it.

Todd Sandberg is a candidate for trustee and is the husband of editor, Andrea Arens. Her mention of him in this editorial is by no means an endorsement of his candidacy. The Vedette endorses no candidates for office.