Pub. 15 2020-2021 Issue 4

WWW.NEBANKERS.ORG 8 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE N EBRASKA BANKING FRIENDS: Another election year has come and gone. Unless you hap- pen to live in the great state of Georgia, I suspect your televisions, social media channels and mailboxes will not be cluttered with campaign or political materials for the next two years. The most recent election cycle was clearly unlike any I have experienced in my lifetime, with a much more polarized debate, divergent political philosophies and negative advertising taken to a whole new level. The expansion of 24-hour news outlets and aggressive social media chan- nels will, in my opinion, reshape future political campaigns. After careful reflection and contem - plation, I think there were several valu- able lessons learned through the 2020 primary and general elections. Let me begin by thanking the many candidates, regardless of their political parties or phi- losophies, who were willing to put their names on the ballot. These positions, es- pecially at the local and state levels, come with little or no pay. In many ways, these local and state offices are thankless jobs. Term limits, especially at the state level, have created the need to routinely gener- ate an increased number of candidates for office. We should celebrate our fellow Nebraskans who step forward to share their time and talents for the greater good of our communities, regions and state. Voting is a privilege in our country that has been taken for granted by many generations. This year, Nebraska voters like their fellow voters around the country turned out in record numbers. Statistics provided by the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office show voter turnout in excess of 76%, with more than 966,000 Nebras- kans voting. There were many counties that had voter turnout in excess of 80%. Again, the passion and enthusiasmfor this year’s election is something that should be celebrated because it is the foundation of our representative democracy. It is also important to remember these record turnouts occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Special thanks go out to the many poll workers, election of- ficials and volunteers who ensured voters felt safe casting their ballots. In addition, Nebraska’s election results appeared to be processed, counted and reported in a safe Richard J. Baier, President and CEO, Nebraska Bankers Association And the Votes Are In and efficient manner. This level of success does not occur without a great deal of planning, communication, implementa- tion and effort by a large cast of unsung election heroes. Again, regardless of philosophy or party, my biggest frustration from this election cycle was the tendency for voters to make their candidate selection based upon emotions, sound bites or partial information. We all read the stuffers in our mailboxes, for example, saying this candidate is bad because….! As a lifelong political junkie, I tried to engage my friends on both sides of the political spectrum in discussions about policy and priorities. I may be a bit Pollyannish, but I am sad to see the loss of civility and respectful debate that is occurring in our hyper-fractured world. Nebraska bankers are often the lead- ers and visionaries in their communities and are laser-focused on problem solving. As we look to the future, I challenge our industry to channel that same leadership and focus on future election cycles: 1. Every bank and banker should strongly encourage employees, family, friends and neighbors who have a passion and aptitude for public service to run for office. Finding motivated, highly quali- fied candidates is key to building a stronger future. 2. If financial limitations keep an otherwise highly qualified can - didate from running for public office, I would encourage the busi - ness community in your respec- tive region to look for solutions to support the candidate and their families in other ways. Does your bank or a local business, as an ex- ample, have a part-time position