Dear Editor:
The ballot question on moving municipal elections ahead to November is good for this city and it should pass. It is better for the democratic process, too. In this city we have classically had “low turnout” municipal elections in the spring. This intentionally favored the powers that be. On a random Tuesday in May or June it was easy to rally the city workers, their families, friends, allies to come out and vote so a minority of the city electorate came out and voted the same people into power year over year.
Everybody knows Election Day is the first Tuesday in November and everybody who votes goes to the polls on that day. We need the election of our city officials to happen on the day when our citizens vote. Some people are concerned the ballots will be too crowded with all of our elections in November but cities around the country have used smart graphic design to address that. It’s simple: the more people that vote, the more the government represents the people.
Phil Rivo