vote

a handful of thousand people run the city of lowell by voting for their candidates. if there's anything you'd like to see different, then why aren't you voting for yours?

it always strikes me as supremely ironic that a bloc of perhaps as few as 500 voters could tip most any lowell city election any way they choose. so how many voters are there in your neighborhood? i know, in mine, there are well more than 500 who like to talk about the things they would like to see different.

so, go!

vote!

be one of the movers and shakers. kick out your least-favorite incumbent. return your favorite one to another term. pick the best and the brightest of the challengers, and give them a seat at the table, and a reminder to them, and to anyone who comes after, to listen to you next time you have a suggestion for how things can be better.

the process works, if we work with it.

go!

vote!

and, on a personal note, there are some basic obligations of public office that i feel should be inviolate. an affront against which, for example, would be misuse of that office for personal gain. (yes, having one of the city's inspectional services employees on your own private payroll, and having them doing favors for you on city time is the textbook definition of misuse). another would be diminishing the rights of the electorate to be heard. (yes, canceling a legally-mandated primary election for ANY REASON is, to me, treasonous to the constitution, and indefensible). this would, i would like to believe, disqualify five of the sitting lowell city councilors from enjoying your vote this year, but i respect your right to cast yours in the same way i expect you to respect my right to cast mine.

the goal is to always do better in the future.

here's to it!

go!

vote!