Election day is just around the corner, but you can hardly tell it by driving around the streets of Brownstown.

That’s because there’s only one contested race in the county seat this year. That race pits two-term Clerk-treasurer Becky Fee, a Democrat, against political newcomer Terrisa Brown.

All five council members are running unopposed just as they did four years ago. Fee also ran unopposed in 2003, which meant there was no election at all.

The last time there was a race for a council seat was back in 1999 when Republican Dave Lewis ran against Democrat Robert ”Bob” Persinger. Persinger won that time although he has since died and been replaced by his wife, Emily.

There were two contested council races in 1995 and you have to go back to 16 years to 1991 to find a time when there were contested races for all five council seats. There wasn’t a full slate that year, even, bacause long-time Clerk-treasurer Pat Forgey ran unopposed.

It’s a shame more people haven’t decided to step up and commit themselves to a run for an office.  Sure it saves the town a couple of thousand dollars every time there is not an election (that’s how much taxpayers have to pay the county clerk’s office to run an election).

Not having an election at all demonstrates a real apathy on the part of the citizens of Brownstown and seems to be touting the message that everyone is happy with the work of the present leadership. Fee said that some town residents have no idea she has to run for office every four years because they think she is appointed. That just demonstrates a total lack of knowledge about how government works. That’s a shame.

I’m not unhappy with what our past or present officeholders have accomplished for the community. They managed the town’s money pretty well (with Fee’s guiding hand), made some major infrastructure improvements and even begun working with the park board to improve the park.
But I think we need to have a choice at election time.

The more choices the better.