Public participation is having a moment.
More than 100 people turned out to participate in the RSU 2 budget meeting in Farmingdale on Wednesday, May 21. That same evening, another 50 voters showed up in Chelsea to do the honors for RSU 12.
In both cases, the voter- approved school budgets are now set for validation votes on Tuesday, June 10.
The turnout may not seem like much compared to the thousands of taxpayers who did not attend and who will foot the bills in both RSUs, but it’s a significant uptick compared to some years when the town officials in attendance outnumber voting members of the public.
It is true that too many cooks may spoil the soup, but communities are healthier and democracy works better with more people involved.
Voters in half a dozen Lincoln County towns have the luxury of choice when they go to the polls to elect municipal officers on Tuesday, June 10. No fewer than 20 candidates are contesting about a dozen offices.
Again, the numbers don’t sound like much, but they are an appreciable improvement compared to other years in which the same individuals seek reelection unopposed again and again.
We commend all the candidates for getting involved and all the volunteers who have put their time and effort into serving their communities this year. It is not an exaggeration to say we could not do it without them.
Maine’s system of home rule government is an archaic holdover, but it also the purest form of government there is. Fundamentally it’s neighbors coming together and making decisions for their community. It goes without saying that the more people who participate the better the community is at meeting the needs of all of its citizens.
It is up to the rest of us to keep this momentum going. If your town has something on the ballot, make sure to vote by June 10. People literally shed blood for this right. We just had a whole day to reflect on this.
Democracy is not perfect and sometimes it not very pretty, but it’s always better when more people get involved.
