Write-in campaigns are normally reserved for Mickey Mouse, Elvis Presley and Jesus Christ, but they don’t have to be in local elections. In a town where the vote is decided by margins as small as 10 voters, write-in campaigns are viable.

This year’s aldermen election includes the 5th and the 7th districts, where candidates are running uncontested.

DeKalb voters lost some choice with the removal of Gavin Wilson from the 5th Ward ballot.

It is a shame Wilson has decided not to run a write-in campaign in the 5th district. Political competition is good.

In the 7th district, SA transportation director Brent Keller is running unopposed. A student representative will likely be on the council that most students will not have voted for. No district should be denied the right to choose a representative that can fight for their values. Maybe these unopposed candidates are the correct people for their ward, but it is a shame that citizens may not turn out because it seems their vote has no value.

There are several hot topics in DeKalb that could warrant a runaway victory for the candidate that vowed to initiate change. The smoking ban is going to be city-wide Sept. 1. The liquor code is in a state of alteration. The downtown renovation plan is forthcoming. A business boom is on the horizon in southern DeKalb. Voters can be stirred, informed and motivated.

DeKalb should have the choice to fill in the blank with the name of someone they believe will best serve them.