Austin Latinos Fight To Reschedule City Elections

By Paul Saldaña, President of Brisa Communications

Austin, Texas — I am disappointed with the lack of transparency and inclusion to force a potential vote on whether to hold municipal elections in May or November during a council work session. Some of you campaigned during your election and re-election efforts and made a commitment to be transparent and inclusive, a community value shared by many in Austin.

By now you know that a group of local Hispanic organizations including the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association, LULAC, Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin (HABLA), Hispanic Firefighters Association, Amigos En Azul and other Hispanic business and community leaders expressed our support to move the next City elections to November 2012.

Political equality, political liberty and popular sovereignty are all fundamental components of the democratic process. When coupled with the emerging number of Hispanics in the Austin area, it’s no secret that our booming population will continue to have an impact on the local landscape and quality of life issues in Austin.  Among them, the potential to casts the winning votes for future elected officials and/or local referendums.   With nearly 280,000 Hispanics in the City of Austin, it is absolutely important that our community participate in democracy.  It’s important to note that over 80% of the local Hispanic population are young Latinos 35 years and younger. Which means we will play a critical role in future elections.

Contrary to the beliefs by some, we are not “overwhelmed, uninformed, uneducated and all-consumed with taking our kids to soccer practice.” And while we appreciate the concerns that we may potentially “shoehorn ourselves,” I want to assure you that Hispanic voters count in Austin, Texas and we stand firm behind our belief that “Su voto, es su voz.”

You should know that in Austin there are nearly 120,000 Hispanic eligible voters ranking Austin among the top 5 cities in Texas with the largest number of Hispanic eligible voters.

Based on the history of City of Austin Voter turnout since 1990, the average May election voter turnout is 15.9% compared to the November election voter turnout of 33.3%.

Our City Charter states that all elections shall be held in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas. SB100, the newly enacted law of the State of Texas allows local municipalities, including the City of Austin, to extend the terms of sitting Council Members. Which means moving the city elections to November conforms with both State Law and the City Charter.

It’s also important to address the potential economic impact of the costs associated with a potential election in May 2012.  It’s no secret that these are very tough economic times…and it saddens me that as the Council contemplates spending over $1.3 million dollars ( Equipment Cost $ 500,463.70 and Elections Operational Cost $ 858,000.00) to call for an election in May 2012; we have a neighborhood and community in Austin Texas where over 30% of families live below the poverty line, the unemployment rate is over 40% and every month over 500 families stand in line for hours to receive food pantry assistance.

The Statesman Editorial said it best:

It’s an elitist argument that betrays the entitlement mentality of the cadre of insiders who benefit politically from the city’s notoriously low turnout. The argument neither needs subtitle nor translation, but here’s one: ‘We know what’s good for you.’

It’s a crying shame that there appears to be a majority of Council Members who want to enable the status quo; surely voter suppression is not alive and well in Austin, Texas?

Thank you Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Council Member Mike Martinez and Council Member Chris Riley for your leadership on this issue and your efforts to increase voter turnout and save the Austin taxpayers  $1.3 million dollars.

[Photo By ..:::KB:::..]

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