Many find voting to be a pillar of American life: a passage of citizenship. To vote is to be righteous, and to run for office is to be selfless. However, this isn’t always the case.
As we are deep in the municipal election season and only 3 months away from early November, candidates fill the newspaper with ads, stamp bumper stickers on the back of cars, and are ecstatic to knock on doors. I think we can all agree, though, that we didn’t see many of these names before May, when nomination papers were first pulled. Nor did we see many candidates, especially new ones, maintain accessible communication with constituents. Even now, we fail to see accommodations and the consistent inclusion of ALL populations, not just those most likely to vote. Many candidates and elected officials seem to forget that those who are most underrepresented are those least likely to vote, and they still must be included.
When election season rolls around, it is natural to use the resources you have available as a candidate to ensure you win. Ultimately, you must have your constituents' best interest in mind, so you must win for them, right? But, what about the interim, the time between election cycles? Do you still include seniors, the population most likely to vote? Do you still include youth and at-risk populations, who are least likely to vote? Do you still include children and those without citizenship that can’t vote? Even if you ultimately fail in your goal of securing that seat, do you still maintain care for your community? The best reflection of a candidate’s dedication is the work they pursue outside of their position, not within it. As Aristotle said, “[Those] who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader”: if we all used the logic that we were best fit to lead, we would all run. You must prove you care to help, not that you simply care to win.
As the large number of candidates on the ballot are nearly finalized, it is important we urge consistent inclusion and dedication for the ENTIRE Revere community, even past the results of November 7th. There are candidates who have proven themselves, and there are those that haven’t. As a candidate, have you reflected on how you have/will best serve EVERYONE you represent, not just those that vote for you? It is up to us, as the general population, to realize who has worked for our community’s interest the best. As a first-generation high school student, I know who has. Do you?
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