Dear Editor,
Elections are not a game of shortcuts. They are the sacred pathway by which people choose who will set the course for their future. In a community as small and intimate as ours, leadership is not a headline stunt or a strategic dodge; it is a public covenant. Candidates must follow the rules not because the rules are convenient, but because following them is the first act of leadership.
Write‑in votes are a voter’s tool — a final choice reserved for the voter when no listed candidate satisfies conscience or trust. They are not intended to become a loophole for would‑be leaders to bypass the processes every candidate is expected to observe. When a person who seeks office treats the write‑in option as a back door, we all lose. The integrity of our elections weakens, public trust erodes, and the standard we expect of those who govern is lowered.
We have seen recent instances where the lines between voter option and candidate strategy have begun to blur. This began with President Whipps when he ran for Senate. Now others use excuses of being “too busy” or having “personal matters” do not meet the burden of example. An elected official who truly serves a small community of a few hundred people knows that leadership requires sacrifice, planning, and respect for civic process. If one cannot take the time to file, to step aside from conflicting obligations, or to follow simple candidacy requirements, then one should not stand before the people and make their fortunes dependent on legal technicalities. Leadership claims must be anchored in action, not in manipulative timing.
There must be clarity in law. The write‑in option should remain strictly a voter remedy — not a candidate’s workaround. Our Election Commission must be empowered to close loopholes that allow a person to avoid the candidacy process and then seek office via write‑in campaigns. That can be done without denying voter choice; it simply means candidates must affirm their intent and comply with deadlines, so the electorate can make informed comparisons between people who have formally committed to run and those who have not.
Why insist on this standard? Because rules teach values. When leaders follow the rules, they show younger generations what responsibility looks like. They demonstrate that being a leader is more than ambition; it is preparation, transparency, and respect for the institutions that bind us together. When leaders exploit ambiguities, they model the opposite: convenience over principle, showmanship over duty.
Our veterans remind us of the true meaning of service. They did not seek exemptions to avoid responsibility. They stood when called. To them we say: thank you. Your sacrifice sets the benchmark for patriotism and for leadership. A true patriot leads by example, with no excuses. Not like the excuse of Bone Spurs, then the leader talks about Patriotism. Being a patriot means you serve and you follow the law, not twist if for your personal benefit. Leadership is about service to others, not others serving you. When those in public life make weak excuses for avoiding established procedures, they fall short of the standard our veterans upheld.
Too often our politics mirror the flimsy theatre of spectacle. Elect a CLOWN; expect a CIRCUS. When we tolerate shortcuts, we invite spectacle into governance: loud gestures, hollow promises, and leaders who perform for cameras but do not labor for the people. We deserve leaders who enter candidacy openly, submit themselves to scrutiny, and accept the discipline of meeting deadlines and qualifications.
This is not merely a legal question. It is a moral one. Let us demand a law or regulation that preserves the write‑in as a tool of voters, not a tool of convenience for candidates. Let our Election Commission be clear: to be a candidate is to be accountable from the start. Close the loopholes. Raise the standard.
If our leaders will not set the example, then the Silent Majority must insist upon it. We must teach our children that leadership begins with doing the small, ordinary things correctly — showing up, filing the papers, and honoring the rules we all live by. Only then can we expect leaders who will do the hard work of guiding our community with integrity and courage.
Your Humble Servant
Al Kahalic