I’ve been interested in politics and public service since I was a teenager. I’ve often been dissatisfied with the way government works (and in many cases doesn’t work) and considered running for office. About a week ago I decided it was time to stop just talking about government and to do something about it by running for a seat in my local government.
So, with that in mind, yesterday I filed papers to run for alderman (what we call our city council members) for my local ward (district) in Starkville. While I list eight priorities on my campaign website at MikeAllen.com, in short, I want to see Starkville become the kind of community our children will want to make as their home when they grow up and establish their careers. That means we have a lot of work to do. I’m excited about the prospect of being part of the solution and I look forward to the campaign and public service.
One reply on “I’m Running for Public Office”
Quick update on the June 2 election: I didn’t receive a majority of the votes to become our next alderman — an additional 130 votes would have been more than enough though. I learned a lot and made many new friends. Overall, it was a very positive experience in spite of the stress and hard work. I, along with my opponent, ran clean campaigns. As an American, I’m grateful for the opportunity to directly participate in our political process.