Winter is coming - and with it, campaign season

Cold weather is making its way to Texas just in time for the new year. This past year, we went through a divisive national election. In case you thought now we could forget about politics for a while, good luck with that. The first Saturday in May is one of our state's two uniform election dates, and many municipalities - including the City of Rowlett - hold their city council races then.

That day is only four months away, and some folks have already announced that they'll be running. Next Tuesday, January 7th, candidate packets for the May 3rd general election in Rowlett will be available through the city secretary's office, and January 15th is the first day to file for a place on the ballot. The deadline for filing is February 14th (Valentine's Day!) at 5:00 p.m.

?The decision to run (or not) for public office is a big one, whether you're an incumbent or a newcomer to the political arena. It's a decision that will profoundly impact your life and potentially the lives of many others, especially your family members. It's a decision that will almost certainly make you some new friends (both real ones and fair-weather ones) and inevitably, some enemies.

Campaigns require a whole lot of hard work and can be expensive, but beyond that, in today's sharply politically divided world, things often get ugly. Even when candidates themselves refrain from mudslinging and stick to the issues, there are always some supporters on both side who are less principled. Some of them will attack not only you, but also those who endorse you.

?All this for a job that takes up many, many hours of your time, brings constant criticism - including for things over which you have no control or that you voted against - and pays next to nothing. If you're in it for status, praise, or appreciation, you're sure to end up disappointed. The endorphin high of the campaign trail, of being surrounded by supporters and seeing your name on tee shirts and yard signs, fades quickly after the election. That's when the real work begins.

Why do we do it, then? I can't speak for anyone else, but for me it's the opportunity to stand up for what I believe is best for my city and to help make it better. It's the chance to work alongside others who - although some of their ideas and ideals of what "better" is and how to achieve it may be very different from mine - for the most part have that same end goal. ?

As I look back on this New Year's Eve not only at the past year but at the last three plus years of "city life" (my candidacy for council began in the summer of 2021 although the election wasn't until May 2022), and as I consider whether to run again and for which seat, I think first about the many issues that I - along with the rest of the council - was called on to address.

There were mundane matters and controversial ones. And sometimes the ones that we thought would be routine instigated unexpected controversy. In regard to some of the topics, I had in-depth first-hand knowledge and confidence in my positions and decisions. With others, I had little experience and had to do extensive research and rely on what I was told by others.

I had some shining moments, and I also made some mistakes. There are things I would do differently if I had them to do over - but I don't. Time doesn't move backward, and we can only go forward.

Next May's election will impact our city's future. When we vote, we won't (I hope) be voting based on personalities and who shakes the most hands and kisses more babies, or on unrealistic campaign promises, but on what the fundamental differences between the candidates are - what their guiding principles are and whether they have the courage to stand up for them; what they view as the role of the office to which they aspire and the role of government in our lives; whether they have the experience, the ability, and the availability to take on what is at times a herculean job and devote the time it takes to do it right.

Those are the things I'll be thinking about leading up to election day, whether I'm a candidate or just a voter. And I'll write more in the next few days about where I personally stand on all of the above. ?

@Debra Shinder 2024