The X Factor

X Factor Definition: a hard-to-describe influence or quality; an important element with unknown consequences.

Everyone was set for a re-match in the District 5 council race, when at the last hour of the last day of qualifying, the X factor entered the equation, in the person of Mischa Angel.
There wasn't much doubt that Tommy Harvey would give it another go; losing by 2 votes in the special election was just too much to bear, and Larry Hanisee would probably have been surprised if he hadn't. One thing that people in politics don't like is a surprise, and Angel's entrance into the race was a surprise.
I hear that she has some support lined up and this race is now truly up in the air. It will be interesting when the first contribution reports are filed a month before the April 6th election to see who is supporting who. That might give some insight into Angel's decision to enter the race.
Everyone was impressed last time by the clean race that Hanisee and Harvey ran, but with the x factor at work here anything can happen. 
Michael Beam is challenging Scott Irwin, and promising openness and availability in District 1. I look for a very clean and straightforward race in this one. 
Jeff Free only had to announce for David Jones' seat and is in like flint, as he has no opposition.
The Mayor and the other councilmen all are automatically re-elected without opposition.
Race to watch: District 5, I think everyone was prepared for another nail biter, but a third candidate will definitely make waves. The only bet I will make at this point is that it will go into a runoff that will be decided on May 4th.

Harvey vs Hanisee: Part Two

Larry Hanisee

Call it the battle of the good guys.
In the closest local election in anyone’s memory, Larry Hanisee won the Special Election for City Council District 5 in October of 2011. The seat had been vacated by ‘Chubby’ Knight, who has since passed away.
Of 2,320 votes cast, Hanisee won by 2 votes.

Tommy Harvey

Now it is time for the regular municipal elections, and Tommy Harvey can’t resist. He qualified yesterday at the Clerk of Court’s office in order to give it one more shot.
I will note that in addition to being one of the closest races we have seen, it was also one of the cleanest. I expect no difference this time. 
The advantage to an incumbent is that, well, he is an incumbent. The disadvantage of being an incumbent is that he also has votes on record for the last two years. We’ll see if there is anything in that record with which Mr. Harvey will take issue.
That, and of course turnout, will be the theme of this election.