Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Being an independent voter is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It’s a lot of work, but definitely worth it. On the plus side, I am not obligated to any one party and with that comes incredible freedom. On the downside, it requires me to research each candidate from many different sources and determine whose values closely resemble mine. 

I’m looking for candidates who are honest, have integrity, compassion and have a desire to serve others instead of their bank account. Just like ice cream comes in assorted flavors, political candidates come in all shapes, sizes, religions, genders, and ethnicities. So for me, I need to get past the sprinkles and whipped cream to see what kind of ice cream is really under all that fluff.

When I inquire of people why they are one party or another, the usual answer is “my parents were R or D.” I guess that’s not unusual since that’s where I started. I had to declare my pa...