News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
It's hard to find good people to run for public office these days, according to Deschutes County Commissioner Linda Swearingen.
Swearingen has taken an unusual step in an effort to interest candidates in running for the position she will vacate after the November 2000 election. She has personally taken out advertisements in The Nugget, The Bulletin, The Source and The Redmond Spokesman describing the job and urging citizens to run.
"If representative democracy is going to work, we have to find people willing to step forward and serve," Swearingen said. "We just haven't seen a lot of people willing to step up and run for office."
Swearingen believes the political climate of conflict, controversy and intense media scrutiny has had a chil- ling effect. She also acknowledges that some potential candidates may fear that she will run for a second term and they may not wish to challenge an incumbent.
"A lot of people thought I'd change my mind and run again," she said.
The personal ad campaign is her way of putting a public exclamation point on her determination to leave after a single term.
Swearingen's self-imposed term limit reflects her philosophy that an elected official should be a public servant, not a career politician.
"You really do make a difference," she said. "It's very rewarding helping people work through the system."
Being an advocate for citizens instead of a bureaucrat is central to Swearingen's ethic and is emphasized in her ad, which states, "Must be able to mediate neighborhood disputes (and) broker public/private partnerships ..."
The recruiting announcement also seeks someone with the "ability to identify and fight bureaucratic red tape."
The job entails a serious commitment, Swearingen noted, starting with a year- long election campaign which is likely to cost a candidate anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000.
There will be a primary election in May 2000 and the contest will be decided in November 2000.
If a home rule charter slated for the May 2000 ballot passes, the November general election will be nonpartisan.
"I hope that happens, Swearingen said. "I've been involved for five years and haven't seen a partisan issue yet."
The winning candidate will start a four-year term in January 2001.
Swearingen said that two potential candidates have expressed interest thus far.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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