On Sept. 22, in-person absentee voting began. Here are six reasons to vote a complete, straight Democratic ticket:
- Alexandrians can vote for nine Democratic nominees, and each is individually worthy of your support – Kaine for Senate, Beyer for House, Wilson for Mayor, and six vetted candidates for City Council: Aguirre,
Bennett-Parker, Chapman, Jackson, Pepper and Seifeldein.
- Collectively, the Democratic slate for council brings valuable diversity in every respect: 50 percent women, two seasoned hands and four newcomers, and a racial and ethnic mix that includes blacks, whites, Latinos, and a refugee from Sudan.
- Democratic Council nominees were vetted by the voters in a competitive primary. Other council candidates are self-appointed or were picked in backroom deals with no voter input.
- Six members will be elected to council, even if you don’t vote for six. Failing to fully use your vote risks letting a non-Democrat win a seat.
- At the Congressional level, we can’t afford to be complacent. Both Kaine and Beyer are “looking good” for re-election, based on polls. But two years ago, so was Hillary.
- At all levels, this election is seen as a referendum on the Trump Administration. Low turnout, narrow Democratic victories, or (God forbid!) victories for some Republicans in this Democratic bastion would send the opposite message.
I urge Democrats and fair-minded independents to vote, and make all of their votes count, for the good of the city and the nation.
Tom Osborne
Alexandria