New Haven Independent

Posted by: dumpjoelieberman | November 9, 2005 7:24 AM

Two thirds of New Haven's feifdoms are not represented in this list, because there was no challenger. In several Wards the Alder and Chair come from the same household, are husband and wife. Challenge is surpressed when a candidate would have to sit in the incumbent's living room to ask the Ward Committee for endorsement. This is an undemocratic process that the Party Machine could end with an internal rule. But pro-democracy voters would have to step forward to run for Alder, or Ward Chair. I call for challenge races at the Ward level starting with Ward Chair elections... I believe on the next election day with Dem statewide primary in 2006.

Posted by: 22ndWardGirl | November 9, 2005 11:15 AM

I don't disagree that New Haven needs a body of more diverse and active Democrats to take up leadership positions in the party and to shape its internal workings. But one thing I have found as a party activist here is that it's nearly impossible to get people involved, even when you tell them about meetings months in advance, even when you work around their schedules, even when the meeting is short and sweet. People don't come out to their Ward Committee meetings, people don't volunteer very much or very intensely on campaigns, hell, a lot of New Haven residents don't vote very much. Is part of this a failure to run compelling campaigns and offer compelling coices? Sure, maybe. But it also means that there are few people who demonstrate the interest and energy to run a Ward Committee, who have any experience with turnout, or running a phone bank or an election day operation. It's not enough to just run a new slate of people: they have to know what they're doing as well. I think it's less a sign that New Haven is somehow inherently undemocratic that you have husband-and-wife teams as alders as co-chairs, and more a sign that the pool of people willing to be substantively involved in New Haven politics is painfully thin.