If Abraham Lincoln had run for City Council

Well, we’ve almost made it.

I was planning to write an in-depth post about … well, never mind; I’ll tell you about it another time. As I was taking down some notes, I sat back and suddenly realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to communicate a week before Election Day.

A little more than four months ago, when I entered this race, I stated, “what makes a city great is the people – and how we do right by every one of them.”

I was reminded of this while I was reviewing my daughter’s essay prompt for her U.S. Government class: “What is the role of government?” There were several quotes by former presidents. Each made good points in their own ways, but Abraham Lincoln’s words resonated with me the most:

“The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves—in their separate, and individual capacities.”

Abraham Lincoln before & after the 2024 campaign season

(They really loved their commas back in the 1850s.)

Over the past four months, I’ve connected with so many of you – and not just in Ward 2. The people I spoke to are warm, opinionated, kind, outspoken, passionate, caring, engaged. Certainly never apathetic or resigned. People love this city. They have different opinions about how to make it a great city, and that’s OK. Pluralism and debate are messy, but that’s what makes grassroots democracy work. I respect your opinions. I  want to hear your ideas.  

If you don’t know yet for whom to vote for Stillwater city council (wards 2 and 3), get in touch with the candidates. Talk to us and learn more. Talk to your neighbors and friends.

And If you do know whom you’re voting for, then there’s nothing more I can do this week. If I haven’t chatted with you yet, I hope we get to know each other in the coming years. Every connection I've made is a gift that has made my world richer, and I can’t thank each of you enough for that.

While I hope that I have the chance to work together with you for the next four years to “do what [you] need to have done,” this week… I want you just to go outside and breathe in the sweet smell of autumn leaves. Bake some cookies. Watch the game. Play with your dog. Get off social media. Gaze at the stars and think about life on other planets. Be kind to yourself. You have my very best wishes, no matter what happens next Tuesday.

Fresh batch of nutter butters!

Thanks.