Support Your Local Government
This letter to the editor, by Liz Malanaphy, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on February 6, 2025.
How do you view politics today? The two-party system is designed to get the results it’s getting; a pendulum swing powered by fear of the other, false narratives and the threat of radical action. Democrats and Republicans alike are responsible for perpetuating this cycle. Money in politics exacerbates this. Power begets power.
Local, nonpartisan government is our last, best hope to nurture dialogue, respect and exploration of relevant issues and solutions found together. This requires ongoing, deliberate effort to engage local citizens, invite conversation, and ensure transparency.
In two decades, Hudson has nearly doubled in size. Yet we still only have six council members representing six expanding districts. A vote on any issue often results in a tie. A mayor casts the deciding vote and instead of being a mediator, negotiator and facilitator, can become the manipulator of this power dynamic. In turn, this can perpetuate an agenda and promote partisan alignment, encouraging monetary influence during campaigns. It renders a community dialogue obsolete.
To counter this, many comparably sized communities around the state elect an odd number of council members. Some are district representatives, with one to three “at-large” seats. The latter are elected by the whole community, encouraging the presence of additional voices and choices. There is no primary; at-large candidates must appeal broadly to be elected.
Consequently, vote abstention more appropriately positions a mayor as the facilitator and mediator on issues, who should bring additional perspectives to the table to best serve the whole. The community is more effectively represented.
More representatives also create a larger pool of people to serve on appointed boards. If you look at the City of Hudson website, and the various boards that serve our city, you will see several names that have been given two or more appointments, meaning too few people carry this load.
It’s a bit of a long game to buck the status quo, but can pay off in increased citizen engagement to ensure that local government truly represents everyone. It’s an effort worth undertaking, a conversation worth having; upholding local government of, by, and for all.