The night Barack Obama was elected president, thousands of University of Wisconsin students flooded the streets surrounding the Capitol in a spontaneous act of jubilation. It is a simple geographic reality that the majority of celebrators that night heralded from Districts 2 or 8 — both of which are holding City Council primaries today.
One might expect that people so eager to celebrate the democratic process last November would be at least slightly interested in today’s local elections. But alas, turnout is expected to be in the hundreds. Poll workers will be right to ask the simple question: Where is everybody? Still at home, admiring their life-size Obama cardboard cutouts?
If you haven’t heard about today’s elections, shame on you. This newspaper has been covering the City Council campaigns for months. The issues at stake are certainly relevant to students. Both City Council members elected in April will cast crucial votes on the tone of alcohol policy in Madison, student safety and the future of Madison Metro. There is, moreover, no reason to be cynical about the offices at stake: District 8 Ald. Eli Judge showed us over the last two years that student representatives on the City Council are not mere wall decorations — they can create real, meaningful change.
The Badger Herald’s official endorsements for both City Council races — Eagon in District 8 and Maniaci in District 2 — along with months of objective news coverage about all the candidates, can be found on our website (www.badgerherald.com). If you live in Districts 2 or 8 and are reading this before 8 p.m., it is not too late to cast your vote. See page 5 of today’s paper to find out whether you live in a contested district. Bottom line: Vote. There’s no excuse not to.
