Voters should choose candidates not parties

In his opinion in the February issue of the Heights Observer, Edward Olszewski offered observations about partisan politics in Cleveland Heights.

He correctly stated that Republicans in the 1970s were first to make local elections more partisan. They used partisanship to obtain political control of CH City Hall.  Democrats then became dominant with their campaigns in the 1980s. They took over political control and raised partisanship to an even higher level. (I admit I was as guilty of causing that to happen as Mr. Olszewski.) Ballot language might have made elections non-partisan. But members of the Cleveland Heights Democratic Club during and after the 1980s did not even pretend that they were. And their campaigning shows how effective partisan tactics can be.

The November 2021 election for the CH-UH school board is a good example. Democratic candidates accused their opponents of being “MAGA.” That was an easy way for them to ignore criticisms of the board’s financial practices. Those criticisms merited reasoned responses. But none were offered. Partisan advertising was used as a tactic for impugning character and avoiding intelligent debate. And it may have succeeded in deciding the results of that election.

A non-partisan format should mean candidates will be evaluated for their policy positions. But many voters consider a party label as a valid shortcut to a comfortable understanding. Candidates advertising their party affiliations hope voters will join in a righteous cause. Those identifying their opponents by a party affiliation often use stereotypes to demean. All of this invites voters to become lazy and ignorant. They are urged to vote blindly for a party and not for a candidate. And that is exactly what many of them do.

Mr. Olszewski dislikes some present one-party monopolies. I agree with him. Partisanship helps perpetuate such monopolies. Having representatives of more than one party participate in governing and elections would offer more choices and more honest debates. What I hope Mr. Olszewski also inherently calls for is some restraint. Fewer ad hominem arguments directed against a person rather than against the position they are maintaining would be a good thing. Elections should be a competition of qualifications and ideas. I wish it was easier to make them happen that way.

Voters often believe they vote for the “best candidate” regardless of party affiliation. Only time will tell if they occasionally are deluding themselves.