Contested Elections Are Needed to Truly Hold Officeholders Accountable
Give voters a choice! The two-party system depends on contested elections. If you live in the Town of North Castle, you will have only one choice for town supervisor this year: Democrat Mike Schiliro.
Make no mistake. I am not taking issue with Mr. Schiliro, who happens to be a popular public official who learned well how to be a successful politician from his brother, who served in the Obama administration – so popular that it is unlikely any opponent at this time could unseat him. I am not yearning for his defeat. My point is that both political parties owe the voters a choice, no matter how popular the incumbent. By both political parties picking and choosing the races they make results in bipartisan cronyism. Party leaders are shortchanging the democratic process.
Any incumbent, no matter how tenured or how formidable, should be accountable on Election Day. The only way to do that is for the opposing party to field a candidate who will make the incumbent justify his or her records. Any other form of challenge, from the press to dissatisfied constituents, holds no substance if voters can’t act on it at the polls.
Ironically, Mr. Schiliro is a case in point. He is part of a reform group that, not long ago, seemed to have little chance at cracking North Castle’s vaunted Republican machine. Yet he and other reform candidates persisted in their challenge, and today they claim a loyal constituency of their own. Even so, it is Mr. Schiliro’s turn to defend his record and win continued voter support – or at least it should be.
Mr. Schiliro is a tough challenge for any Republican, but political grips can be broken, as Mr. Schiliro has proven in North Castle. How discouraging it must be for North Castle residents when the loyal opposition becomes no opposition at all.
Anthony J. Futia, Jr.
North White Plains
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