Meet the Candidate Your Parents Warned You About
I love Woodstock! Our small businesses, music, trails, and the way neighbors still look out for each other.
This is a hometown worth fighting for. That’s why I’m running for mayor.
I’m Martha Jean Schindler — local activist, musician, and founder of Indivisible Woodstock Community Action Network. I’ve been fighting for transparency, fairness, and a Woodstock that works for everyone.
Too many decisions are being made behind closed doors. Growth is pushing people out. Traffic keeps getting worse. That’s where I come in: unplugged, unbought, and unafraid to give the people a mic.
As mayor, I won’t sit in an ivory tower. My job is to put the mic in your hands, shine a light on City Hall, and make sure your voice gets heard. Expose. Pressure. Repeat.
What I Believe
Our freedoms only matter if we use them—and if we guard them at every level of government. In Woodstock, that means speaking up, showing up, and holding power accountable.
Here in Woodstock, that means tackling traffic the smart way, making room for homes real families can afford, and keeping growth accountable to us — not just developers.
My compass is simple: freedom, fairness, and a city government that works for its people—not behind closed doors.
That starts with our constitutional rights and carries all the way to City Hall. On my blog—Martha Jean’s Mic Drop—I share where I stand and what I’m fighting for, from attainable housing to open meetings to safer streets.
Key Issues
Attainable Housing
Homes for real people — teachers, firefighters, artists, small business owners, and working families. Not just corporate landlords and out-of-towners.
Smarter Growth, Less Traffic
More lanes won’t fix traffic. But safe streets, sidewalks, and complete connections will. Growth should make our lives easier, not harder.
Supporting Small Business & Job Creation
Cut red tape, streamline permits, and back local entrepreneurs. From Main Street shops to creative enterprises, job creators deserve a city that works with them, not against them.
Access to Education & Workforce Development
Expand partnerships for after-school programs, adult learning, and job training. Education should open doors for everyone at every stage of life.
Transparency & Accountability
No more backroom deals. If Council makes a move, you should know about it — in daylight, on livestream, with open doors.
Public Spaces & Safety
Invest in sidewalks, crossings, and green spaces that make Woodstock safer, healthier, and more connected—while backing first responders and prevention efforts that keep neighborhoods strong.
What the Mayor Can (and Can’t) Do
Woodstock has what’s called a weak-mayor system.
CAN’T
Hire or fire staff.
Set the budget or pass ordinances.
Control growth with a signature.
CAN
Shine a light on what’s happening inside City Hall.
Push and pressure council when they ignore residents.
Give the people a mic and amplify community voices until change happens.
That’s the job. That’s my promise.
Expose.
Pressure.
Repeat.
Get Involved
Turn Up the Volume With Me
This campaign isn’t powered by big money. It’s powered by neighbors like you. Whether you’ve got time to knock doors, space for a yard sign, or skills to share, you’re part of the movement to crank up democracy in Woodstock.