Henninger: Have your voice heard in the 2020 Scottsdale election

Dismal modern-day voter turnout suggests a lot of you are going to sit it out. And that’s not acceptable. It’s time to shake off the complacency and show you care about the direction of the city.”

Don Henninger

This is an important year for the City of Scottsdale, and you play a key role. All of you.

Two reasons. The city’s finances are in a deep hole right now due to the COVID-19 crisis. Even with strong management and leadership and a little good luck, it will not recover quickly.

And this comes at a time when the future quality of the city’s management and leadership is in your hands. As voters, you’ll choose who gets elected as Scottsdale’s next mayor and you’ll fill three City Council seats that are coming open this year.

Together, that majority slate will be charged with picking up the financial pieces --- whatever they look like seven months from now --- and guiding the city through its recovery, and hopefully, toward a more sustainable economy over the long term.

With five mayoral candidates and nine running for council, you have choices. And to make wise decisions, you need to do a little homework.

Dismal modern-day voter turnout suggests a lot of you are going to sit it out. And that’s not acceptable. It’s time to shake off the complacency and show you care about the direction of the city.

We all need to learn about the candidates and then vote. First in the Aug. 4 primary and then in the Nov. 3 General Election.

What makes it tougher this year is the social distancing restrictions placed on all of us due to the coronavirus. That has severely limited the access that candidates have to the public.

There will be few if any face-to-face meetings or speeches or debates. Much normal campaign activity will not occur.

There are some options.

SCOTT, partnering with the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce and Scottsdale Leadership, will present two virtual forums in the weeks ahead. One will feature the mayoral candidates from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on May 27, to be moderated by the Scottsdale Independent. And the week after, we’ll host the City Council candidates, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on June 3, to be moderated by the Scottsdale Progress.

The city is partnering on both forums and will be televising them live on Channel 11 as well as live-streaming them on its website.

How do you get involved? Easy. Watch them. Or register to attend online.

If you have questions for the candidates, we’d like to see them:

Submit questions for candidates here.

And for those of you who are not registered to vote, now would be a good time.

Voting links: Register to Vote; Request an Early Ballot.

Please share this with anyone you think needs to see it.

Then learn about the candidates, show up when it’s time to vote and have a say in the future of your city.

Editor’s Note: Don Henninger is executive director of SCOTT and can be reached at donh@scottsdale.com. Mr. Henninger serves on the Independent Newsmedia Board of Directors.