Democracy doesn’t work without competitive elections in which different points of view can be heard.
Democracy doesn’t work without competitive elections in which different points of view can be heard.
If you think our local government is corrupt, or insufficiently diverse, or leaning too much in one direction or another, you have several options.
One is to move; another is to smugly complain to your like-minded, disgruntled friends; or you can actually try to make changes yourself by running for the board, committee or office of your choice.
That’s real democracy.
Without your participation we’re left with a democracy in name only. Local elections are coming up; registration deadlines are approaching. It’s time to go to your town hall or town clerk’s office and find out how to file to run. It’s really not that hard to do.
Steve Auerbach
Oak Bluffs
Comments
Perhaps I should have
Steve Auerbach Oak Bluffs, MAPerhaps I should have included in my letter that I'm the chairman of the Finance Committee in Oak Bluffs.
Thank you Steve,
Ewell Hopkins Oak BluffsThank you Steve,
What a joy it is to see the Chairperson of the Oak Bluffs Finance Committee expressing such concerns. We must encourage new ways of engaging others in the process of town government. The first thing every elected official can do is strive to make the process more inviting. Embrace social media, publish the issues and ask for public input. We cannot rely on open meeting guidelines as a primary means of outreach. Be creative and go where the people are instead hoping they will come to us.
As a candidate for elected office (Planning board) I will embrace any method that informs the public of the business of our town.
I am confident that improved communication will lead to more public involvement.
Ewell Hopkins
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