One thing we know for certain is that Nelson council will have a new look come the next civic election.
Three councillors have confirmed they will not seek re-election and while voters won’t go to the polls until November, there are already two non-incumbents who have declared their intentions to run.
You can guarantee that a long list of potential candidates will soon follow their lead.
Michael Dailly and Charles Jeanes may be the first two out of the starting gate, but more horses are waiting to make their move as the race for a council seat kicks into high gear.
Like the old saying goes, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Dailly is new to Nelson politics, having never run before. Jeanes, on the other hand, is a different story.
A perennial dark horse, Jeanes has run in the past six civic elections, and has yet to be elected. He freely admits that he doesn’t expect to win this time either because his views are “too out there” for most voters.
But that doesn’t matter.
The fact that Jeanes, Dailly or anybody else currently lurking in the shadows, are willing to put their name forward for a job that usually involves a lot of public criticism, is something to be respected.
The beauty of the democratic process is that you can run for office no matter what your political, social or environmental beliefs. The trick is getting enough voters to see your view strongly enough to support it.
The more candidates we have, the better choices the public can make. So why delay? If you’re thinking of running for office, then say so now. Why wait for the deadline. The more people who get their message out now — that includes Mayor John Dooley and Counc. Deb Kozak who have both yet to declare their intentions — the more opportunity the public has to make an educated choice. The summer season is coming to an end. Time for election season to begin.