Candidate Qualifications (Resume Standard)

A standardized qualifications statement format so voters can compare candidates fairly.

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Letter from the Editor: Qualifications Matter

Local government isn't symbolic — it's operational. The Mayor and Village Trustees make decisions that affect tax burdens, infrastructure reliability, public safety, utility rates, debt, contracts, and long-term capital planning. These choices are not abstract. They involve budgets, procurement, compliance, risk management, and stewardship of public assets.

That's why we believe every candidate for local office should provide a resume (or qualifications statement) as part of the public record — a simple, standardized document that describes relevant credentials and experience. Voters should be able to evaluate more than slogans. We should be able to see evidence of readiness for the actual job.

This is not about elitism or partisan politics. It's about transparency and competence. In many roles, people are expected to show qualifications before being hired to manage far smaller budgets than a municipality. Yet in local elections, voters are often asked to decide with limited comparable information about a candidate's background in finance, capital planning, leadership, or regulatory oversight.

We are asking candidates to disclose job-relevant information in a consistent format so voters can compare candidates fairly. We are not asking for private data (no home addresses, personal financial details, or sensitive identifiers). We are asking for qualifications that relate directly to public stewardship.

If you're running for office: publish your qualifications. If you're voting: ask for them. A resume doesn't guarantee good judgment — but refusing to share basic qualifications makes it harder for the public to assess readiness and trust.

Candidate Qualifications Statement (Template)

Candidates: copy/paste the template below into a document (PDF preferred) and submit it for posting.

  1. 1) Candidate Name + Office Sought

    • Name: _______________________
    • Office sought: _______________________
    • Election date: _______________________

  2. 2) Education / Training / Certifications (optional)

    Degrees, training, licenses, or certifications relevant to governance:

  3. 3) Relevant Work Experience (most recent first)

    For each role: organization type, title, years, and responsibilities.

    • Role #1: _______________________
    • Role #2: _______________________
    • Role #3: _______________________

  4. 4) Leadership & Management Experience

    • Teams supervised (if any): _______________________
    • Operational responsibility areas (budgeting, HR, compliance, procurement, project delivery, etc.): _______________________

  5. 5) Capital Budget / Project Oversight Experience

    For each: project type, approximate budget range, and your role.

    Project Type Budget range Role
    _______ _______ _______ _______
    _______ _______ _______ _______

  6. 6) Contracts / Vendors / Procurement Exposure (if any)

    Experience with bids, vendor selection, contract oversight, change orders, audit readiness:

  7. 7) Boards / Committees / Civic Service

    Boards, committees, volunteer leadership, civic roles:

  8. 8) Disclosures (plain language)

    List any relationships, employment, or business ties that could reasonably be perceived as a conflict if elected.

  9. 9) Top 5 Priorities (5 bullets max)

Candidate Submissions

Candidate submissions may be posted here as they are received.

Submissions will be posted in the order received and not edited for content (except formatting).