Election 2025
What happened?
Why did our neighborhood feel like it had two parties this year?
Elle here — and my approach is simple: we talk about it openly.
No assumptions.
No accusations.
No tea.
Just history.
We look at systems, patterns, and choices made in public.
We don’t gossip about people, and we don’t assign motive.
We’re documenting what happened in this election so our community can improve our processes, reduce harm, and create a safer, more transparent environment for future participation.
If you're ready for that, let's keep talking.
Intro
From Crisis Messaging to Calm Governance
This space is reserved for the epilogue - or, what comes next.
We will also be collecting checklists and takeaways from the series in one place.
Intro
The 2025 Election Begins: An Oral History
Guest post by Elle Burger. This post is written from the first person and is intended to provide a little background before we open a media analysis of communications published during the election.
Stress
What the REAL Flyers Said
The following clarifications are based on emails, event records, and public postings. They address the claims, not the individuals.
Pressure
Authority and Accusation
This analysis looks at how the letter communicates — its tone, structure, emotional hooks, and rhetorical choices.
Bias
Choosing the Story: Who Gets to Comment
Community meetings tell us as much about how a neighborhood communicates as what it communicates. In October and November 2025, two moments made this clear.
Prevention
Let's Keep Talking
We have walked through many of the campaign materials available; enough that we can pull it together. Further articles may be added for historical clarity.
Intro
How to Read This Work
This series is not neutral.
That’s not an apology or a provocation. It’s a statement of orientation.
Stress
Two Groups, Two Flyers
Imagine sitting at your kitchen table, opening your mail, and finding a flyer that talks about “the future of the community.” Now imagine a second flyer with a very different tone — almost as if the two are describing entirely different neighborhoods.
Stress
Don’t Vote for This Man: How Election Messaging Escalated
As the first flyers of the 2025 election hit doorsteps, neighbors received the “REAL Friends of Ken Lake” flyer and a two-sided flyer focused entirely on one candidate.
Pressure
Not So Fun: A Claim-by-Claim Review with Documentation
Many of the letter’s strongest accusations collapse under their own internal contradictions.
Bias
Understanding SaveKenLake
Three key rhetorical patterns limit the conversation. Learn what to look for using SaveKenLake.com as a case study.
Prevention
What We Did to Avoid 'Both Sides'
During the election, specific choices were made—under pressure—to prioritize de-escalation, documentation, and long-term trust over short-term vindication.
Intro
Why You and I Need to Talk About This
It’s about noticing patterns that make people feel pressured or pushed out, and talking about them so everyone can feel safe.
Stress
Communicating Under Stress in a Community Election
Community elections are rarely simple, and this year brought an unusual level of intensity.
Pressure
From Pressure to Narrative
These are the kinds of questions that help people stay aligned under pressure — especially when they hold authority, social influence, or a desire to keep things calm.
Bias
When a Neighbor Can Do No Right
It was a systemic pattern — consistent, predictable, and visible across meetings, conversations, and campaign materials.
Prevention
Epilogue: What Repair Requires
No candidate could identify a point at which their own conduct might merit reflection — or even consideration.