CROTHERSVILLE

Derald Whipple and his son, Terry, hopped in a golf cart at their Seymour Road home and rode three blocks down to First Baptist Church to cast their ballot for Tuesday’s general election.

Both men said they have voted for several years and thought it was especially important since town council and clerk-treasurer races were on the ballot in Crothersville.

The town council is growing from three to five members for the first time, and they both said they think that is a good move.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

“You’ve got five people with five minds,” Terry Whipple said. “It may cause fights and arguments, I don’t know. But before, one person pretty well ran things, and all they had to do is get one of the other guys to agree with him, and it was all said and done. This way, you’ve got five, and you’ve got less chance of that happening because they are all going to have their own input.”

Derald Whipple said he likes to vote in local elections because he has lived in Crothersville for a while and knows most of the candidates.

“To me, it’s important to know people when you come to an election so you know if they are going to be good for our town or not good for our town,” he said.

After casting his votes, Terry Whipple said he hopes the people he picked will be the ones helping make decisions for the betterment of the town.

“This town needs some people that care to get a few things done,” he said, noting work needs to be done on buildings, streets and the water treatment plant.

“Some of them care about the town, and some of them care about themselves,” he said. “The people I voted for are people that I believe have this town’s interest at heart rather than their standing in this town. I believe if we elect the right five people, they will work together.”

Wendi Eskridge also said she thinks having five members on the town council is a positive. She has lived in town for three-and-a-half years and voted there for the second time Tuesday.

“I grew up in a big city in southern California, so the more people you have representing everybody in your area, I think the better,” she said. “More voices, I think, will get heard.”

Eskridge said she always makes sure she votes.

“I think everybody needs to come out,” she said. “That’s the only way you’re going to essentially get what you want or things to happen that you want.”

As she cast her ballot Tuesday, Eskridge brought her 11-year-old daughter, Summer, along. Summer was out of school for the last day of fall break, and Wendi Eskridge said she hopes her daughter seeing her vote inspires her to do the same when she is eligible.

“Hopefully, eventually, when she gets old enough to vote, she’ll be voting,” Wendi Eskridge said.