Write-In Independent Candidate for District #21 hopes to give voice to the voiceless

OSWEGO COUNTY – Kylee Teasley has thrown her hat in the ring in the County Legislator race as an independent. Deciding to run with less than two weeks left, Teasley is running her campaign as a write-in for District #21. Teasley hopes that the voiceless will have a chance to be heard with her in government.

Teasley was an Army Officer for 5 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and has recently obtained her Master’s degree in Herbal Medicine.

“I think the people in this area, Hannibal and Oswego, need to be heard,” said Teasley, “to support the community, we need to listen to people, we need to amplify their voices. I want people to be heard. That is what this is all about.”

Teasley is running against Noelle Salmonsen, a Republican who was running unopposed.

Although it may be too late for Teasley to get elected, she was urged by friends to run. “I had friends tell me just to go now. I told them I don’t know if I’m ready now, and they told me to go now,” said Teasley.

The plan is to run again if she is unsuccessful.

“There is a very big lack of resource listing, there are places to go, but people don’t know where to go,” Teasley, “people need to know where they can go to get help, People in my area that I’ve talked to want to know how they can help, and how they can go if they need help.”

She believes that meetings should be more centered around what constituents need, and that representatives should solicit their opinions on what is required, rather than waiting to hear from them or making assumptions about their needs.

While planning to maintain a Facebook page and a social media presence, Teasley intends to speak to people in person at public events she attends. “I’m involved in the community now, I will be more involved going forward,” said Teasley, “I will make people aware of where I’m going to meet. I think you need to be available.”

Teasley has never been affiliated with a political party. She says that being part of a party applies a label to a person, and people make assumptions about them based on their political alignment. “We’re past the point where assumptions are okay, we need to look at people’s actions, and look at how they behave and judge from there, we need to restore critical thinking,” said Teasley.

“I came from a very conservative household. It’s interesting to see how the values I was brought up with still apply, but I struggle to see it in that party,” said Teasley, “I’m torn right now with how do these things that I know and believe to be true, how are they still true, but the people who say that they value them, I’m seeing them not value them. The difference between the actions and the words is staggering right now.”

Feeling that neither party is walking the walk, she plans to remain a solo, independent entity.

“I wouldn’t be against people meeting to talk about similar things, but I do think it’s important not to make it so official that there is a label on it,” said Teasley. “People like their boxes and like their labels. As soon as you do that, the trend to stop thinking critically goes up.”

Regardless of who they vote for, Teasley hopes that everyone goes out and exercises their right to vote. “I did not know if you didn’t like a candidate, you can leave that slot blank, but turn in the ballot. It’s the only tool that allows us to have our voices heard. We need to vote, and we need to talk about it. We need not just sit back and let things we don’t like happen.

Teasley started a farmers’ market in Hannibal. She also volunteers at the Hannibal Library, where she runs classes and a seed library.

Teasley announced she was running on October 27th. Here is her statement:

“My name is Kylee Teasley, and I am running a write-in campaign as a candidate for Legislator District 21 in Oswego County, NY. I am and have always been unaffiliated with a party. I am a U.S. Army Veteran and a small business owner. I have a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a master’s degree in Herbal Medicine. This year, I started and ran Hannibal’s Farmer’s Market to help bring local farmers together with the community.

I believe that community is the foundation of society, and that taking care of one another ensures that everyone succeeds. We’re not okay until everyone is okay, because we all need help at one point in our lives. Elected officials are representative of, and beholden to, their constituents. I am running for this office because I believe the people of Oswego County deserve to understand what is happening in their local government, and that they need to be heard and have their voices respected.

It is more important now than ever before to participate in the way our society operates. My goal is to help create a clear, accessible path to a future that we can all be proud of. I am asking for your vote, but however you decide, please vote.”

Print this entry