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Commentary: As election season begins, students should involve themselves in local politics

An election is taking place in the City of St. Louis next Tuesday, Sept. 13, to decide on a new Board of Aldermen President. This special election is happening because former Board of Aldermen President, Lewis Reed, resigned after it was revealed that he took bribes in exchange for providing tax cuts to local developers.

To many, this may seem like another boring news story serving no purpose but to remind us of the bleakness of St. Louis City politics. Whereas national politics get people fired up about sensitive topics, local politics seem rather boring. The arguments that congresspeople have on Twitter seem more exciting to us than how often trash is being picked up.

In an era when social media has brought extreme views into the forefront of our attention, it is easy to become captivated by controversial issues. We tend to lose sight of the daily operations that keep our city up and running.

In an election for a position like Board of Aldermen President, it is these operations that are at stake: issues like waste pickup, sanitation, and public safety. The person in this position not only needs to keep the city working efficiently, but needs to do so honestly and with the trust of the people.

Over the past few months, I have worked as a canvasser going door-to-door for one of the candidates running for Board of Aldermen President. I don’t intend to advertise this candidate to the voters of SLUH. Rather, I want to stress the importance of voting in local elections and getting involved in local politics.

While knocking on doors, I have been able to connect with voters in St. Louis in a powerful way. I have had meaningful conversations with people about the issues that are important to them, and I have explained the ways in which my candidate will address those issues.

I know that only a fraction of the SLUH community can vote, and within that group, even fewer can vote in city elections. But wherever you live, and whether you can vote or not, I encourage you to get involved with your local government. Canvass or phonebank for a candidate who you agree with. Work at a polling place for an election. Volunteer to promote a candidate outside of polling places. If you can vote, vote in every election. If you can’t vote, encourage those around you to vote.

At SLUH, we are challenged to emulate Jesuit values in our own lives. As part of this, I believe we should be active participants in our respective communities. Voting is our civic duty, but it is also our duty as young people who wish to be instruments for change. I encourage everyone to be curious about what is going on in their neighborhood and their city, to find out who all of their representatives are and what they stand for, and to vote in every election, starting on Tuesday.

 

 


 

 

 

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