Eliza Leadbeater: 18 votes will define the future of our Belknap County

To The Daily Sun,

Belknap County is comprised of nine districts for a total of 18 seats in the N.H. General Court/House of Representatives. These 18 elected members of the House we refer to as our County Delegation.

A recent letter from a candidate running for the N.H. House urged voters not to ignore the “bottom of the ballot.” I agree as these are the votes that will most directly impact you, your family, and our community.

Refrain from marking your ballot and casting a vote if you do not know what the candidate stands for or how (s)he will contribute to your district, our county, and our state. Don’t vote just because you have seen the candidate’s name on numerous roadside signs.

In recent years, the self-interests and personal agendas of many of these candidates running for another term have destroyed the collaboration that benefited all residents in the eleven communities that comprise our beautiful and, once, progressive county.

These 18 votes don’t have the same impact in Concord as they have here when the delegation votes on the county budget. Public services and collaborative initiatives, for which Belknap County had been recognized as a leader in the 90s, have been in recent years systematically starved of resources in the guise of “fiscal responsibility” by many of these candidates.

On county business, party affiliation and agendas should be left at the door and our representatives should vote for what is in the best interest of all residents. Many incumbents and candidates running under the Republican banner are R.I.N.O.s. (Republicans In Name Only). Look at their stance. Many are either Free-staters who have taken up residency here or Tea-Party members. They are bent on slashing local and state budgets, rather than prioritizing budget needs for services and infrastructure. They are undermining public education at the expense of our future economic prosperity. They overturn common sense community priorities that ensure our residents and our communities remain safe, healthy and economically secure.

Before you cast your vote or mark your absentee ballot, learn how candidates in your district have contributed to the quality of life in our county. What do they stand for? What jobs they have had or do they hold? How and where do they volunteer? Why do they want your vote? If they are elected, do you believe they will work for the common good? Will his or her vote as a member of the County Delegation enhance the quality and economic prosperity of your life and all lives in Belknap County?

Don’t give away your precious vote if you do not know how the candidate will work for you. Leave the name unmarked if you are not confident that he or she will put our families and us first and that his or her votes benefit us all. Vote for candidates that will better the future for residents of Belknap County and New Hampshire.

Eliza Leadbeater

Gilford