Butte County candidates, voters head for November

Now it begins. Monday was opening day for candidate season throughout Butte County.

Already in Chico, a handful of residents have tossed in their bid for election or for reelection. More will be coming until the cut-off deadline of Aug. 7. There are council elections in other Butte County towns, along with school district, special district, Butte College district, among others.

Anyone who has sat through or watched a city or town council meeting may wonder about the sanity of those at the dais. Why would anyone put themselves under the gun like that? Complex issues, long meetings and often-nasty politicking could put a damper on anyone’s desire to serve their community.

But they still do, and we’re glad that feeling of service dwells in them. No matter their political persuasion, candidates should be thanked in advance.

We hope some of them have served in some kind of public position previously in order to get a feel for what to expect, rather than be taken aback.

Then again, there is the need for homework and research. Candidates will be asked by voters, by the press, and during forums about the ideas they bring to the table, not to mention solutions to current ailments.

We’re looking forward to seeing the impact of district elections throughout Butte County. For what was a painful process, the result will be, we hope, what was intended — whether diversity, new blood, better representation or newworld ideas. We’re not sure that will happen, but all of us will watch the November outcome to see if the new system succeeded.

That’s also why the significance of registering to vote is heightened. The months that led up to the March primary election saw a great number of new registrants. Obviously the Camp Fire’s displacement of ridge residents had something to do with that, but we’re hoping for a deeper sense of finding quality leadership through more participation.

Looking back, just days after the March election, California and our communities were shut down by the coronavirus, putting all of us in a spot we’ve never been.

Now we have to ask how our new leaders will guide us through this time, while working with the cities, counties, state and federal governments. It will take extra work on their part, and on ours to reach wise decisions.

Registration is easy online at www.buttevotes.net. As voters, you can start now, by paying attention to who is running and their qualifications. You can participate in voter forums, read information about the candidates, and mail in your ballot when it arrives in October.

Nov. 3 is the election, but you can take care of this important duty long beforehand.