Gary Silverman
Columnist
Leaving the candidates’ forum for Blacksburg’s mayor this past Thursday, it dawned on me how much I had learned, including who would have my support. Off-year elections typically have a very low turnout, although this year’s may be different as we will be choosing a new governor. Down ballot candidates and issues often receive little attention, with many voters not very knowledgeable about who they will be voting for. Perhaps they like someone’s name or looks, or just prefer a newbie over an incumbent (or vice-versa). Certainly I’ve been guilty of voting without having sufficient information. Attending this forum revealed to me which candidate’s ideas best aligned with my beliefs and values.
Listening to the questions and answers was quite revealing about the importance of these positions. For example, Blacksburg has major decisions to make about how best to respond to the growth of Virginia Tech, bringing with it more students, faculty, administrators, and support-staff. For example, should the town focus on increasing housing density near the university and minimize parking, relying on an enhanced bus system? That approach would provide needed housing while minimizing new traffic problems. Or should the town center add parking, which should help local businesses attract regional customers? That approach might be a big help to the community’s bottom line, although adding to congestion. The mayor will have a large impact on the direction of the town’s growth, so who gets elected will have tremendous impact on its direction. With a relatively small number of voters, the impact of each local vote can be quite important. If you have an opinion about this issue, or other types of local issues, who you vote for mayor matters. Who wins most likely will meaningfully affect your life, perhaps even more than the results of state and national elections. Yet, it can be difficult to get reliable information about the candidates.
The importance of local elections is not restricted to mayors. We will be voting for members of boards of supervisors, school boards, and town councils, among other local offices throughout the region. An easy (and kind of fun) way to learn about your choices is through local candidates’ forums, very helpfully organized by the League of Women Voters and the NAACP. You can find details about these forums at https://my.lwv.org/virginia/montgomery-county-va/event/fall-2025-candidate-forums. Your vote is very important. Of course, you should learn all you can about the candidates for state-wide office too, but there is no need to neglect the local races. Your knowledgeable vote impacts how our local leadership reflects your values and beliefs. It’s simply great that these forums are available to help us all vote knowledgably.
