Our national, state, and local politics have reached a point where the two-party system seems to serve itself more than the people it was created to represent. Both major parties have drifted toward their extremes, not because most Americans are extreme, but because the parties are trying to differentiate themselves from one another. In doing so, they leave behind the large portion of residents who sit near the middle, people who agree on far more than they disagree.
Most voters are not far-left or far-right. They are slightly left or right of center, focused on practical issues and shared community needs. Yet our current political structure rewards voting for a party label instead of evaluating the actual qualifications of the person running. When voters default to a party, they risk overlooking the experiences, skills, and temperament that make someone an effective representative.
It is also important to recognize that national, state, and local offices are fundamentally different jobs. The issues that dominate national headlines, the ones that fuel polarization and division, often have little relevance to the day-to-day responsibilities of local government. Unfortunately, major-party candidates frequently carry national talking points into local races, turning municipal decision-making into a miniature version of Washington’s gridlock.
Too often, this dynamic shows up in our own five-member Town Council, where votes fall along party lines even when collaboration would better serve residents. Local government should not be a battleground where one party “wins” and the other “loses.” It should be a place where good ideas are recognized regardless of who proposes them. Collaboration and compromise are not “four-letter words,” they are essential tools for solving problems and improving our community.
At the local level, the work of government is practical, not ideological. Town Councils are responsible for budgets, ordinances, and the efficient delivery of services that residents rely on every day. When councils drift into national social debates, they step outside their municipal scope and risk distracting from the core responsibilities that directly affect taxpayers. Staying focused on fiscal management, infrastructure, and community operations keeps local decision-making grounded, nonpartisan, and genuinely responsive to residents’ needs. That is the standard we should expect, and demand, from anyone seeking to serve on our Town Council.
Starting with early voting on Oct. 14 and continuing through Election Day on Nov. 3, I encourage residents to keep this message in mind. Choose people over party to help build a stronger future for our town.
Ian McLean is an independent candidate for Smithfield Town Council.
Note: Each candidate in a contested local race is entitled to up to four letters to the editor/press releases leading up to the election.
