Boulder must align itself with its ideals - YES on 2E

By Zach Herring, published in the Daily Camera:

Over the last few years, Americans have been in the process of dividing themselves up into buckets of “us” and “them.” Ill-informed “build the wall ” chants defined national debates about inclusion (or lack thereof). Then there are the subtler efforts than a physical wall — we’ve seen a raft of voter suppression laws across the country passed in 2021.

I’m writing this on my phone while strolling through Boulder’s beautiful open spaces. Equally beautiful are the fellow Boulderites who pass me as I walk. The retirees holding hands on an evening stroll. The families on bikes, two toddlers in tow. The students who are training for their next run meet. One out of three of those folks, eligible to vote, will nevertheless not have their voice heard in Boulder’s off-year elections next year.

Boulder sees voter turn-out nearly double on even-year elections, around 30,000 more Boulderites have their voices heard. It’s because of this that I urge this city to move elections to even years! If we want to be good stewards of where we are and the space we inhabit, there are no alternatives. Boulder must continue to make itself a place more aligned with its ideals, a place where everyone can work, live and participate in its elections.

While other conservative communities seem to have made their circles of inclusion smaller, we in Boulder have an opportunity to draw a circle just a little bit bigger and include more of the voices that make our city great. Move Boulder’s elections to even years in 2026, and support this important ballot measure in November.