The coolest thing about voting is that it’s like a chip in a game. Our vote is our “buy-in” and provides the same level of voice as everyone else. Yes, I know money buys access to elected officials and yes, endorsements can influence the average voter. However, voting levelizes the political landscape, especially in local elections. Basically, if we don’t vote, then if a candidate we detest wins, then we don’t have anyone to blame but ourselves.
In Santa Fe, the south-side doesn’t turn out to vote in municipal elections. The north and east districts, districts 1 and 2, do turn out and have shaped not only the political climate within santa fe, but have also inadvertently created two (2) santa fe’s within the greater city limits. In Districts 1 and 2, the parks are cleaner, there is better police presence, and when folks need attention, they get it. South side residents, those in Districts 3 and 4, don’t get the same level of city attention. But there is an obvious and direct relationship between the lack of voter participation and the lack of city attention. If the south-side of santa fe would vote, we could hold our elected officials accountable at the same level that the north and east siders do.
Right now, there’s a lot of anger and resentment in Santa Fe, and to me, this anger is justified. Public meth and fentanyl use plagues Franklin Miles Park. Weeds and potholes create unsafe driving conditions down Cerrillos Rd., and I’m pretty sure I saw Godzilla climbing out of a manhole next to the Santa Fe Place mall. But if Godzilla tramples the south side, it’s because we didn’t vote. Heck, the District 4 council race is all but decided and Tiger will win in District 3, so the only hope for a voice is if Districts 3 and 4 turn out for the mayoral race.
If south side santa fe doesn’t turn out, Webber will win in the first round and we will invisible to cityhall “leadership” that cares more about keeping their jobs that actually doing them. They know that the apathy in the south side grants them a blank check to create santa fe in an agenda that wants to ostracize the Hispano and use the south side as a dumping ground for all that’s unsavory about our city.
While we can still hold our elected officials accountable without voting, that chip in the game present a valuable voice. It’s time to get our skin in the game and stop the invisible wall that the Districts 1 and 2 are creating in our city. We all need to first, commit to voting, decide our voting strategy (whether or not to rank the candidates), and then formalize when and where we’ll vote. If we don’t, on one side of the invisible wall, there will be clean parks and manicured medians, while on the other, nothing but shopping carts and needles. Vote and we can hold cityhall accountable. Or don’t vote and Godzilla will trample us all.
