Shelter Island Reporter Editorial: All politics is local
The hard-fought campaign here on Shelter Island for supervisor, Town Board, Highway Superintendent and Town Clerk, was at times veering toward the gutter, but all in all it has been a fairly fought campaign.
There were mistakes made, some more serious than others, but that’s just what they were, mistakes, and credit to those who admitted their errors of judgment. It’s the most human of activities, making mistakes, and it’s always heartening to see virtue enter the picture when apologies are made.
And apologies are in order to the Shelter Island Republican and Democratic campaigns for an inconsistent application of our policy on political letters to the editor. We sincerely apologize for not following through on the policy due to incompetence, and for no other reason. The editor takes full responsibility for the errors.
It’s also our job, when errors in judgment, or pseudo-Machiavellian tactics are revealed during an election, that we report on them. Which we have done.
Mistakes and Machiavelli aside, it should not deter any Islander from going to the polls. One of the more eloquent statements we’ve heard on this issue comes from Keith Ellison, attorney general of Minnesota: “Not voting is not a protest. It is a surrender.”
Every election in America is critical, whether at the national, state or local level. Voting is the engine that drives the democratic process. The oft-repeated expression “all politics is local” means that whom you vote for in our town matters, affecting the taxes you pay, the support services you need and what your community will look like going forward.
The ballot — and the ability to cast one easily — represents the foundation of American democracy. Politicians who maneuver to make voting difficult or draw odd shapes on district maps to improve their chances, do so because they fear or they know they can’t win if voting is straightforward and simple.
But that’s a fight coming for November 2026. Now, here, Islanders will decide their leaders in a free and fair election. Which is, after all the controversies of the campaign, a blessing.
