Area Organizations Announce Endorsements for Town’s Biennial Elections

3 thoughts on “Area Organizations Announce Endorsements for Town’s Biennial Elections”

1. Endorsements are an interesting phenomenon – until you learn what did or did not happen, there is no way to value, or evaluate, the endorsement. In the 2021 council election campaign, and again now in 2023, I thanked, and declined both Amherst Forward and the Progressive Group for the opportunity to receive endorsement. I had to ask for a correction in reporting when the Gazette listed me as one of the several 2021 candidates who “did not receive AF support”!
   In 2021, I was endorsed by the APEA. This year, I don’t recall ever seeing the invitation to take their survey, so did not participate and did not receive endorsement (perhaps it was deleted by accident from one of my three inboxes…). As for the Firefighters’ endorsement – ditto APEA; the only email I could find on “firefighters” was a short note from the Town Manager on 1/12/22: “I wanted you to know that the Town was awarded a $25,000 grant to purchase firefighter safety equipment for our firefighters.” Sunrise Amherst did surprise me with their endorsement this year.
   As one of just a few “Independent Candidates”, I hope you instead take the time to read candidates’ websites to see if their work and life experiences seem to align with your priorities, or for incumbents, if their votes align as well. Enjoy the Campaign Season!

2. Over and over, I have mulled this statement about Amherst Forward’s endorsed candidates: “Candidates who did not respond to the questionnaire by the stated deadline were not eligible for endorsement.” So, regardless of a candidate’s hard work and votes on the Town Council or any other factor, Amherst Forward did not even consider a candidate that did not fill out a form? Does that make sense? Wouldn’t a candidate’s background, committee work and actual votes in Town Council be critical factors in making an endorsement, not “you didn’t fill out our questionnaire.” As a result of this, which has a whiff junior high school emotion, several current Town Councilors, including one councilor that Amherst Forward endorsed 2 years ago were not even considered. This ‘failed to fill out our questionnaire policy’ excluded several candidates of color and actually led to a pretty white list of Amherst Forward candidates, sadly. Going forward, in the future I hope Amherst Forward looks at each candidate’s actual work, voting record, life experiences and positions on important town issues. Do the work! And then explain why Amherst Forward picked or rejected candidates.

   Or else advertise correctly, “This is our list of candidates who 1) filled out our questionnaire and 2) support our priority issues which we don’t state here.” Go 2 clicks away to find Amherst Forward’s heartwarming but vague priority issues: “Development balance,” “infrastructure to support town needs,” “deeper civic participation,’ and “thriving public schools.” Is any candidates against these goals? So, was it just the questionnaire? Some other unstated criteria? Time for some deeper civic participation, harder work and more openness by Amherst Forward. Hopefully Amherst voters will take a closer look at everyone running.

3. Hi Janet – The PCA made a very similar statement – ” We did not consider candidates running for uncontested seats or candidates who did not fill out our questionnaires.” Both press releases from Amherst Forward and PCA contain statements about how they considered questionaries in addition to voting records, other service, etc.

   https://coalitionamherst.wordpress.com/press-release/
   https://www.amherstforward.org/press-release-9-23

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