With Harrisonburg City Council Elections right around the corner, you would be doing yourself a favor to quickly learn a bit about the candidates and their positions, whether you’re voting or not.

Alleyn S. Harned, supported by the Democratic party, is the most liberal of the candidates. He is a JMU alumni, and studied geology before switching to Public Administration. He is the executive director of a statewide non-profit coalition called Virginia Clean Cities, and emphasizes the value of funding public education and creating green spaces on a local level.

Ted Byrd, who has been on the council for about 8 years, is best described as a moderate conservative of the Republican party. He speaks of the value of moving with a plan and displays a willingness to commit resources to any worthwhile program, but only after being sure of their payout. He has an air of experience to him.

Denise E. Dawson is the other Republican candidate running for office. She is more fiscally conservative than Byrd but shares many of the same values. She advocates for the use of government chiefly as a tool to create infrastructure to promote citizen’s needs. She has a deep background in public education, which is visible in her positive stance towards funding education.

Helen T. Shibut, another JMU alumni, represents the Libertarian party. Her interest for politics was sparked by attending Libertarian party sponsored events during her time as a student at JMU. Her views fall deeply in line with those of her party. She advocates for a deregulating government that’s extremely fiscally conservative and stays out of business affairs.

Christopher B. Jones is the only non-white candidate running for city council. As a Democrat and ex-Republican, he voices support for using the government to help local businesses thrive and help the community connect. He also believes in creating progressive extracurricular programs that are accessible by all before and after school starting at a young age.

Joshua J. Huffman attended Harrisonburg City Public Schools and came out of high school as a Republican. He was actually kicked out of the Republican party earlier in his political career due to ideological differences, and is now running independently. His focus is on enacting the will of the community and having a dialogue with the citizens of Harrisonburg. He claims that his lack of political party obligations puts him in a unique position to use whatever strategies best suit the city’s needs and allows him to reach out to any political entity for collaboration.

You can access additional information regarding the goals and histories of the candidates as well as opportunities to get involved on their websites, which are easily found with a Google search. Local politics is the sphere in which your voice is loudest, so it’s important to remain educated and exercise your influence on our community in whatever way you are able.