To the Editor:
I have lived in Carter County for two (this makes the second) election cycles and I have to tell you that I am not impressed with “Carter County Politics.” We have elections so that the citizenry can elect persons into office who will represent them and manage the everyday running of the government in the most efficient and fair way possible. Most elections will include rigorous and lengthy debate on subjects that make a difference to the citizens that populate the area. This is normal and should be encouraged. Many times great things occur as a result of this process happening.
Having met many of the candidates it is easy to say that they are all very nice decent people, of course the differences come when you begin to discuss politics and policy. There are different views about how and what things should be done. Again this is normal and necessary to keep new ideas coming. This moves us forward.
The truly sad part and why, I believe, that there is such apathy in the county is the way some campaigns conduct themselves. It seems that there is a mix of Washington D.C. Democratic politics and hate that combine to make it distasteful for a lot of voters so they just withdraw with the comment “Politics as usual, I don’t have time for it.” The DC style of personal attacks, unfounded lies and half truths intended to make the opponent look bad has been used to whip up a hatred that is not good for the county. It is almost certain that it will not go away with the election. Our newly elected officials will have to try to do their jobs while defending themselves from constant sniping from the haters, just like President Trump. Elections should be about electing the most qualified person for the job. It is not a kumbaya popularity contest.
By and large most campaigns have been clean and well run. Too all those, a huge “THANK YOU” for doing what is right. For those that have run (or allowed to be run by surrogates) a campaign whose purpose was to make an opponent look bad can take a large amount of credit for the apathy problem we have here in the county.
Carter County is a wonderful place to live and really does not deserve the kind of negativity that is brought on by the actions of a few.

Christopher Prince
Elizabethton