A place at the table

Students need representation in city council

Ann Arbor is the quintessential college town - with University buildings intimately interlaced among the city's prized restaurants and shops. Yet in Ann Arbor's political arena, the University community is glaringly underrepresented. Students and faculty, while constituting a large part of the city's population, currently hold no seats on the Ann Arbor City Council. In turn, the council does not always give University issues the attention they merit. Students deserve a voice in city politics - the city and the student body must work jointly to ensure the current lack of representation does not persist.

In the past, Ann Arbor drew electoral lines so that students comprised the majority of one or two districts. Students, sensing they had a realistic chance of winning, ran in citywide elections - and were frequently elected as city council representatives. These representatives were able to give University issues a prominent spot on the council's agenda. Moreover, they worked toward forging a strong and positive relationship between the council and the University. Today, in the council's chambers, such attention to University needs is sorely lacking.

Current electoral laws make change unlikely, however - they fail to address the unique political circumstances students inevitably must face. Ann Arbor's electoral districts jut out like spokes from the center of the University campus. Students, if they wish to run for council, are at a formidable disadvantage. Other candidates can translate strong community roots into votes - it is difficult for a student to have the electoral base of a decades-long resident. In addition, other candidates will likely have more time to devote to their campaign than a full-time student could possibly spare. By re-establishing student majority districts, the city of Ann Arbor could once again give students their proper voice in municipal affairs.

The city is not all to blame for student absence from local politics. Student turnout in recent local elections has been abysmal. This is partly because many University students are not registered to vote, or are registered elsewhere. While attending the University, policies in Ann Arbor and the state of Michigan will probably have a great deal more relevance in students' lives than politics in their hometowns. When University funding and policies are on the line, student input, and votes, are vital. By not registering to vote in Ann Arbor, students are limiting their ability to influence state and local policymakers.

There is one way students can guarantee local politicians pay attention to their concerns - by exercising their right to vote. If students do so, city councilmembers will heed student input, and once again put University issues on the council's agenda. Electoral district lines seem to be drawn to minimize the impact students can have on city politics. If enough students press the issue, the city should be more willing to redraw electoral lines to level the playing field for students in city elections.

10-20-97