ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604220064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
Political campaigns can be pretty serious business. But there's also a light side, say some of the candidates seeking election to City Council on May 7.
For instance, Republican candidate Jeff Artis has put time, effort and money into his bid for a two-year term to succeed John Edwards, who moved on to the state Senate in January.
But out on the campaign trail, Artis sometimes finds himself wondering whether it's all for naught.
"The interesting thing people say is, `There's an election coming up?''' Artis said. "They don't even know about it." Independent candidate Joe Nash said he hasn't found many angry voters out there - but their dogs can be downright vicious.
"I got chased by a Rottweiler one day," Nash laughed.
Although candidates generally run as Republicans or Democrats, City Council is by and large a nonpartisan body. But that doesn't mean all the voters are nonpartisan.
Democrat Carroll Swain recalls the day he found himself on the front steps of a home occupied by an elderly disabled woman. Using a walker, she painstakingly struggled to the door after he knocked on it.
Swain introduced himself, and they talked for a while. Finally, the woman said, "I have one question. Are you a Democrat?''
"Yes, ma'am," Swain replied.
"With that, she let loose of her walker and hugged and kissed me," Swain said.
Some voters take term limits to heart. Republican candidate Alvin Nash found that out when he knocked on one woman's door.
"She said, `I don't know you, you don't know me, but I'm going to vote for you. I'm not going to vote for anybody who's on City Council now,''' Nash recalls.
"Then she said, `And next time around, I'm not going to vote for you. I'm going to vote for somebody else.'''
Republican mayoral candidate Pat Green got a good laugh out of a recent letter to the The Roanoke Times that implied Green wanted the post "for the money."
For the record, the mayor's salary is $15,000 a year. Technically, it's a part-time job. But considering council meetings, social events and representing the city, it can consume many hours.
"I sat down and cried, I laughed so hard," said Green, co-owner of a small local business. He figures it'll cost him money if he's elected mayor.
If you don't believe that, consider what Mayor David Bowers told the Rotary Club of Roanoke on April 11.
"I have a nice small law practice," Bowers cracked, "and it's been getting small ever since I was elected mayor." .
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CITY COUNCILby CNB