Today (as you've probably guess, you intelligent person you) I am going to talk about candidates for the Whyville Senator.

Our main question is, what is a candidate? Well, anyone who is running for Senate is a candidate, obviously. Good ol' www.dictionary.com describes candidate as "A person who seeks or is nominated for an office, prize, or honor." Pretty simple, eh? Candidates for our Senate, obviously, will have to announce their candidacy by posting a special petition containing their platform, as explained by City Hall in her recent article.

You're now well educated on what a candidate for senator is. But it's more important to know what a good candidate is. Who should you vote for, and why? Here are some things to take into consideration when voting:

Experience. Someone with lots of experience in Whyville will make a good senator, because they understand the system in Whyville, its concepts and boundaries. Experience helps a person make promises that they know they will be able to deliver on if they are elected. It also helps you get to know a large variety of people. Understanding the many different people on Whyville helps a Senator communicate the people's needs.

Record. In her announcement, City Hall asked if we should be able to see a person's record. Should we be allowed to see any punishments the candidates have received? Or do they have a right to privacy? And do we need to know, anyway?

Interaction. Is this someone that you've seen around Whyville? Is this someone who gets a long with everyone? If they're always with one group of people, will they know what you want? A good senator respects and appreciates everyone in Whyville. This is what Babypowdr would call "socially adaptable".

I'm certain that there are other qualities that will vary from candidate to candidate, but watch for those yourself! In the mean time, it's time for my monthly shower! (Just kidding, I shower every day. :-)

Au revoir et a la prochaine!

Editor's Note: As with all political correspondence, no candidate is specially favored by Whyville or the Times. This and all other articles published by the Times are opinion pieces, published based on the article's merits, and without regard to the writer's political aspirations. If you feel candidate-written articles should not be published, please send your best arguments in article form to the Times. Thank you.