On November 7th, Salisbury residents voted for a series of candidates to become public officials for the city of Salisbury. All five council districts were up for grabs, as well as the position of mayor. Following the calculation of votes, Randy Taylor was elected mayor after receiving 1,120 votes against Megan Outten followed closely behind with 1,055, and Jermichael Mitchell with 861 votes.
As a non-partisanship initiative, PACE cultivates democratic citizenship at local, state, and federal government levels. While federal elections gain the most attention in the eyes of media outlets, it is just as essential to focus on local elections. As stated by Dr. Alexander Pope, the head of PACE at Salisbury University, “We think it’s important that our community have as many opportunities as possible to meet with, learn about, and ask questions of our elected leaders.” Citizens can become more engaged with candidates through learning about their values and opinions on local issues. Through PACE’s initiatives, they allow community members to feel connected with these elected officials.
The race for mayor has been extremely prevalent for citizens of the Salisbury area. Former mayor Jake Day, who served for eight years, stepped down from his position in January of this year after being appointed by Governor Wes Moore as the Secretary of Housing and Community Development. Jack Heath took over for Day as mayor but announced in August that he would not be running for reelection. Due to health issues, Heath decided that it would be best to step down from this position.
To share necessary information about the upcoming election, PACE collaborated with the Greater Salisbury Committee and the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce to help voters meet the candidates. Salisbury University held the event on October 17th in the Assembly Hall of the Guerrieri Academic Commons. It was stressed that this event was not a debate, but a forum for individuals to learn more about the candidates’ platforms on various topics. All three candidates running for mayor of Salisbury were present: Jermichael Mitchell, Megan Outten, and Randy Taylor.
The forum brought up various issues that are apparent to the citizens of Salisbury. Each candidate discussed the roles that housing plays in the community of the greater Salisbury area. Candidates shared concerns about the development of downtown Salisbury. It has inflated costs of living which has made individuals struggle to get by. Drugs and crime have also posed a threat to the well-being of Salisbury’s community. A rise in juvenile delinquency has shown crime and drug overdose rates to increase throughout Wicomico County continually. All three candidates have stated the need for policy reform to correct the prevalent issues in the area. Candidates were able to agree on the importance of these topics, despite coming from different backgrounds and political affiliations. Despite having different ideas on how to execute these issues, it is apparent that the candidates are informed on what it means to lead a community in adverse situations.
The candidates were asked a series of general questions from Mike Dunn of the Greater Salisbury Committee, Bill Chambers of Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Josh Bolton of Salisbury Univeristy. Hannah Cechini represented the local news station WBOC moderating the event.
SU Votes is the initiative that provides voter registration and engagement support for individuals at Salisbury University. Dr. Bolton oversees this program in addition to being an assistant communications professor specializing in rhetoric, political communication, and public relations. PACE sees the importance of individuals expressing their civic duty to participate in elections through voting for candidates such as the next mayor of Salisbury.
If an individual needs to get registered to vote or update their voting information, click here to be informed about SU Votes’s work on campus.