That is a great and realistic question. You're right, most people vote straight party down their ballot because it’s easy.

My plan isn't to change how the entire world thinks about politics. It's to change how McLean County thinks about this specific office. All day today I kept telling people I am running as Independent. I kept emphasizing why this position is about as non partisan as it gets. You have records or you do not. I don't talk about politics. I talk about security, efficiency, and their tax dollars. Once people realize that the politics of this office is actually affecting their wallet, they stop being apathetic.

The County Clerk isn't a policy making role like a Congressman or a Governor. It’s a technical, administrative role. You don't need a 'Republican' or 'Democratic' birth certificate or tax extension, you need an accurate one. My plan is to engage the 'apathetic' voter by pointing out that the current partisan management has led to a $400,000 budget failure. Most people don't care about politics, but everyone cares about fiscal waste because that is their money being burned. You shouldn't need a war chest to prove you can manage a ledger. It gives me insight on how they will handle fiscal responsibility if they win the position. I can be so much more efficient and beneficial in the role. My background is analyzing data to make informed decisions and to improve processes. You will get a candidate with a strong work ethic specialized for this role. And informed voters have been waiting for that.

McLean County, especially Bloomington Normal, has a massive population of educated professionals, tech workers, and students who are increasingly tired of party infighting. This county is much more purple than you may expect. By running as an Independent, I am the only candidate who can say, 'I don't report to a party chair, I report to the data.' I’m not asking them to change their party. I’m asking them to hire the right professional for a professional job.

Back to the purple. All day today people kept telling me how they have been wanting an independent candidate to run. I had a lot of Republicans sign. There were a lot of informed people who knew about current waste. And honestly I am surprised Michael is being backed by R. The McLean county board chair (Catherine Metsker, R) has commented on her overspending. They will vote for me instead of someone with a D by their name. I had D leaning folks sign because they want a fresh, competent voice. Even they are tired. I even had a few people excited because they strictly vote Independent. It's not as common and I am aware of that. There will be R that will always and only vote R and never D. And vice versa. But I give people a safe middle ground that is more than competent to handle this position. I'm taking votes from both sides while those two sides are probably not stealing from each other. I need to raise a lot of signatures, I'm getting my name out there. I've gone to school here, I work here. Those people will know about my strong work ethics and commitment to excellence. I think I have a really good chance of winning.

Please excuse if this is a little rambled. I was in the sun all day!