Your voting responsibility
We are days away from having a vote that will probably determine the leadership of Denver, at least to create balance for the decade. It is good that the choice between Chris Romer and Michael Hancock has some clarity for the Latino community because James Mejía has asked that his supporters join with those of Romer.
But it is not enough to declare in favor of a candidate then go about our business. Latinos must do their part in getting out the vote, as the outcome will affect them as much or more than other constituencies.
The Latino demographic trajectory and its resulting political influence in the United States raises the urgency to solidify the place of this community in the country’s leadership infrastructure. Much of the resulting transfer in responsibility will become increasingly evident especially in the second half of the 21st century.
The exercise of leadership in Denver is key to ensuring that Colorado continues to be a swing state that depends in great part on the Latino vote to make a difference in the direction the country may take. At the same time, a successful Latino vote in Denver will continue what has become the tradition of Latino contribution to good government and solid vision.
Part of effective participation in the political process leading to a successful vote is to know the candidates and their fit with the interest of the community. Denver is very lucky to have had a slate of candidates that have much to give and two finalists that offer a clear choice for voters.
I remember Roy Romer’s first campaign swing through the Auraria campus in downtown Denver. He was well known for his intense interest in education.
We at Metro State were particularly grateful for his role as the chief architect of the law that created the college in the mid 1960’s. He went on to become a multiple term governor.
I also remember Ken Salazar’s first run for Colorado attorney general. It was with his candidacy that I learned the particular nature of Colorado politics as a centrist state.
Finally, I had the opportunity to see two sides of mayoral politics that led to opposite results. The Federico Peña run both as a candidate and as mayor was the picture of excellence.
Peña came out of nowhere with a message to “Imagine a Great City” and won his way into a runoff. The runoff amounted to a separate campaign that included a short and intense voter registration period, which proved to be the difference in Peña’s election.
The other side of this experience was the Don Mares’ campaign that saw so much confidence go by the wayside as Mares, a traditional power politics candidate was defeated by John Hickenlooper who saw his non-traditional approach to campaigning resonate with the public. These types of contrasts are not as clear in the current contest for mayor.
Voting and helping others come to the polls is the most important activity of the moment. Voting is the culmination of the effort to understand and make the best and most informed choice of leaders.
In the case of the Latino community, voting is also a manifestation of an engagement with history because the results form part of a greater trajectory of change that will continue to grow as time goes on. Voting is also taking responsibility for the future that is yet to be determined.