Franklin Mayoral Election

By Kiana Raoufiniai

Voting season is fast approaching and a lot of our senior class is already 18. As a young adult, it is important to be educated on the candidates and plans of each candidate in order to contribute to our democracy. Our Franklin mayoral election is a great opportunity for first-time voters to ease their way into the voting process and express their opinions about subjects that have an immediate impact on their day-to-day lives. As objectively as possible, I will now try to summarize events/candidates to familiarize others with current political events. 

Our two candidates for mayor are Ken Moore, our current mayor, and Gabrielle Hanson, a former alderman. Gabrielle Hanson has said that she is running for mayor on a platform of transparency and family values. Claiming that it is the mayor’s responsibility to set the tone for the rest of the community, Hanson said, “The city should represent your interest, your voice, and uphold traditional values that have made Franklin one of the most desirable places in America to visit and call home.” Moore has replied that the job requires more than that, stating that our mayor’s job often extends to “supporting the nonprofits that are helping us as a city” as well and that his job “is to be more of a PR person sometimes rather than being a mayor.”

Many topics were discussed during the candidate’s forum on October 2nd, but one topic that grew more and more heated was public transportation. Hanson is opposed to the idea of expanding public transportation, while Moore argues for it. Hanson’s argument was based on the idea that the public would be held responsible for financially supporting public transportation, while Moore argued that it is necessary because 70% of the city’s workforce commute to and out of Williamson County for work. Both candidates also addressed rising concerns about Franklin’s population and, as a result, skyrocketing home prices, by stating that the solution is to work with agencies like Franklin Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity. Both candidates also discussed tourism in Franklin, with Hanson hoping for additional conferences or conventions to drive more tourism dollars. Moore responds to this problem with a solution: tax incentives for businesses, which he claims bring return on investment. 

Hanson has claimed that this is the most significant election since the Battle of Franklin in 1864, saying that it is “…a battle for the heart and soul of this community, for our culture, for identity and for our future and for our children. She added, “We can’t afford another four years on the trajectory that we’re currently on.” Moore has argued that public officials have a duty to Franklin to be upfront about issues and claims that Hanson has not fulfilled these duties. He asserts that Hanson has used “..fear and falsehoods to distort [his] record” and that “Franklin voters deserve better than this.”