On Thursday, April14, the Everett Charter Review Commission will discuss and vote on whether or not to recommend a proposed change in how Everett voters elect City Council members.
At present, all council members are elected city wide to at-large positions. Last fall, Lowell leader, Megan Dunn presented an extremely detailed proposal to the council on how we could, and why we should, transition to choosing five council members by districts with only two at-large. Dunn pointed out many compelling reasons why the proposed change has merit. Three among them:
First, Everett has outgrown the city-wide election model, and the continued expansion forecasted will only exacerbate the perceived disconnect between our neighborhoods south of 41st Street and city government. Council elections by districts would insure that, geographically at least, all areas of our city are represented. When firehouse closings are an active topic for discussion, every area of the city deserves a voice in the decision making. When drug houses blight our neighborhoods, or loud, fast-moving traffic cuts through residential streets to avoid arterial traffic lights, citizens want someone to turn to for response who they know will be their advocate. Representation by districts would achieve this goal.
Second, election by districts provides a pathway to a culturally and economically diverse council and from leadership at the neighborhood level to council chambers, Candidacy for office city-wide requires a tremendous amount of time and financial backing from wealthy donors and leads to campaign by mail with minimal face-to-face engagement with voters.
This dynamic informs the third reason to change: Election by districts would serve to raise voter awareness and engagement in Everett’s local elections. A first-time candidate otherwise employed and running city wide, is forced to target pre-identified “likely voters” when canvassing neighborhoods if he or she hopes to get enough votes to win. Relying on lists of likely voters leads the candidate to contact only those who already vote regularly. This does nothing to attract new or disengaged city residents to the local election process. A candidate running in a district would be able to knock on every (welcoming) door in that district. Campaigning by mail cannot compete with one-on-one contact in building voter trust or interest.
Other communities have made this change with very positive results. I encourage citizens who feel as I do that council election by districts would strengthen our community to attend the meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14 at the Human Resources Training Room on the fifth floor of the Wall Street Building, 2300 Wetmore Avenue.
Charlene Rawson is a resident of Everett and ran for Everett City Council in 2015.
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