FIRST OFF. WHO DID WHAT? THEN…EXPLAIN THE PETITION. HOW MANY SIGNATURES TO RUN?

Republicans gained 61 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives this past midterm election.

Fifty-one percent of Americans disapprove of President Obama’s performance, according to a Rasmussen poll released on Nov. 21.

About 87 Ohio Republicans won their races, as opposed to about 50 Democrats.

People are not happy with the status quo.

YOU KNOW, THIS LEAD JUST DOESN’T DO IT FOR ME… IT’S LONG AND CONFUSING.

THIS IS A GOOD STORY BURIED BENEATH AN OPINION LEAD. YOU’D BE BETTER OFF JUST SAYING IT.

WHILE THE TEA PARTY BULLDOZED STATE ELECTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MOST MEMBERS OF KENT CITY COUNCIL….

But even with this sentiment, most members of Kent City Council don’t think it will have an effect on their own election. The consensus among the council members is that city council elections are different from state elections because they’re more personalized.

“Government, especially at a local level, is us…” Heidi Shaffer, Ward 5 representative, said in an e-mail. “It’s a lot harder to negatively stereotype government at the local level and demonize the basic services we provide.”

Tracy Wallach, Ward 6 representative, pointed out that though more people participate in national elections, they are more affected on daily basis by local elections.

WAS THIS AN E-MAIL INTERVIEW AS WELL?

HERE’S YOUR LEAD… BURIED…. JUST GET IT OUT THERE…

The deadline to register to be on the ballot in the May primary is Feb. 3, and — as of now — four of the six city representatives up for re-election plan to run again and two are undecided.

Wayne Wilson, Ward 3 representative, has been on council for 19 years and intends to run again FOR FOUR MORE YEARS BECAUSE… in the next election because he enjoys doing the service.

John Kuhar, Ward 4 representative, is in his second four-year term and is undecided in running again next year. He doesn’t think this past election will make a difference to the council election, but he does think the election was important.

“People try to send a message out (with their votes)… I think that’s good,” he said.

And Shaffer would like to run again but is undecided because of personal reasons.

“Now I know why many people want to run again,” she said. “They want to see their projects and vision come into being. That’s where I’m at.”

Twelve-year city council veteran Garret Ferrara, Ward 1 representative, agrees. He’d like to stay in office to continue downtown renovations, general city improvements and cement the bond between university and city. He’s not worried he won’t be here to see this.

“I don’t think that party affiliation makes that much of a difference on whether the streets get paved or not,” Ferrara said about council elections. AND PARTISANSHIP.

Come Nov. 1, 2011, Kent City Council will see if state elections sway local politics. Until then, Ward 2 representative, Jack Amhrein, said, “Anything can happen in politics. I’m certainly not worried about it.” BUT IS HE RUNNING? YOU DON’T SAY.