IFN Staff
Emily Bosshart, one of seven candidates running for two at-large seats on the Statesville City Council in November’s election, has bowed out of the race.
She announced her decision to withdraw on Thursday.
“You know how sometimes you RSVP ‘yes’ to a dinner party, then realize halfway there that it’s not really your crowd?” Bosshart said in a news release. “That’s kind of what happened with me and the City Council At-Large race.”
Her name will still appear on the November ballot, but Bosshart urged voters not to cast their ballots for her.
“If you do, you’re taking a vote away from someone who’s more ready to roll up their sleeves and serve in this particular moment of Statesville’s journey,” she explained.
Voters can choose two candidates in the November 4 election. As a result of the City Council’s decision to stagger the two at-large seats in future elections, the top vote-getter in this race will win a four-year term and the runner-up will get a two-year term.
Although she was eager to serve, Bosshart said she found the partisan politics — in a race that is officially nonpartisan — to be distasteful.
“After meeting my fellow candidates at forums, it became clear that unless I was willing to play the political party game, I wouldn’t have the advantage I’d need to be effective in the role,” she said. “And, frankly, I can’t imagine serving Statesville’s people while being pulled on policy strings by either party.
“What I can imagine, and what I remain deeply committed to, is fighting for affordable housing. Serving on the Statesville Housing Authority Board gives me the chance to do exactly that. It’s the work that lights me up, and when I first filed to run, my main goal was to plug into the network of leaders already pushing for solutions. Mission accomplished.”
Bosshart said her work with Yokefellow Ministry enables her to stay connected “in a boots-on-the-ground way, directly serving neighbors in need and seeing firsthand where change is most urgently needed.”
She expressed her gratitude to those who supported her campaign.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be gathering knowledge, building relationships, and adding tools to my toolbox so that if I ever do throw my hat back in the ring, I’ll be even more prepared to serve. For now, I’m just proud to be one thread in the vibrant fabric that makes Statesville so unique and so worth protecting.”