The today's municipal elections pit Republican Mayor Sharon McShurley against Democrat State Rep. Dennis Tyler.
However, it's the state of job growth in Muncie that will likely bring many of the voters to the polls, not party lines. The loss of Muncie's old manufacturing base and a 9.3 percent unemployment rate have left voters concerned about the city's economic future.
"Jobs solve all of our problems," McShurley said. "And that's why we spend every day working toward developing new opportunities or working with people who are interested in investing in our community."
The recent arrivals of locomotive maker Progress Rail and wind turbine maker Brevini have brought a few hundred jobs to the city. However, Tyler said that progress is too slow for a community that has lost 80 percent of its manufacturing jobs over the past 40 years.
"We've lost hundreds and hundreds of jobs, and it's evident we're not keeping up and we need to," Tyler said
Both candidates said it is unlikely that the old manufacturing base will return. Each candidate's plans for Muncie's future depend upon attracting new employers and investors to the city.
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