Dear Editor and Voters:
This letter is written in support of Stephanie Sterling who is a candidate for State Representative from Essex County.
My questions to the voters are simple: how do you decide who gets your vote in November? Do you always vote for one specific party, or do you take the time to look at the issues, listen to the candidates, and then vote for the candidate who you believe will work hard on your behalf? The first three letters of candidate says it all – a person who can prioritize, organize, delegate and follow through, someone who can make a difference.
The future of your town, your county and your state all depend on issues that are decided by representatives that you, the voters, elect. Stephanie believes taxes, healthcare, jobs, and childcare are important issues for all residents of Essex County, the same issues that probably affect your own day-to-day standard of living.
The election process is an investment in the future, your future, and the future is all about new ideas, new leadership. We all have memories, the past – we all can relate to the problems of today, the present – but what does each of you want for tomorrow, the future? We try to teach our children to be good citizens, to get involved; we try to provide the knowledge and guidance that will help them become the leaders of tomorrow. We all talk about ‘wanting changes’ – but it takes more than talking about it – it takes people who are willing to step up to the plate, to work and fight for those changes – someone like Stephanie. Some may feel she is too young and has no experience. True, she is only 32 years old, but she has made the decision to run for office, a decision that may take others ten or fifteen years to make, if at all. That takes strength and self-confidence, regardless of age. As for experience, Stephanie is a wife and a mother of three children who need to be fed, clothed and educated. She works for the town of Concord. She finds time to volunteer and be involved in her community. And she has a mortgage, a car payment and insurance bills that she, like yourself, has to budget from paycheck to paycheck. I believe she does bring a lot of experience in decision-making to the table. Shouldn’t you choose a representative who knows exactly what you go through to make ends meet? Don’t you want a representative who will ask questions, be determined to get answers – someone who wants to find ways to somehow make your life “just a little easier?” Don’t you, the voters, deserve that? Better yet, shouldn’t you, as voters, demand that of your elected officials?
Stephanie comes from a long line of hard-working Vermonters. The Murray clan from Groton and East Ryegate has farming in their blood; the Bean family had ties to the railroad – both honorable ways to earn a living and provide for their families. I remember when Stephanie told me her decision to run for office. I smiled, and I felt proud of this young woman whom I now realize is comfortable with herself and is ready to start a new chapter of her life. Stephanie has both the energy and dedication needed to be your representative, but she also brings another important quality – her passion to dig in her heels and fight for what she believes in. So I am asking you to cast your vote for Stephanie Sterling because she does have these qualities, and I say this because I know her very well – she’s my daughter.
Please take the time to vote. Your vote does matter – the only vote not counted is the one never cast.
Judy ( Murray) Thrasher -- Cape Cod, Massachusetts
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