Letter to the Editor: In Support of Charter Amendments

*This was originally posted in the October issue of the Neighborhood Gazette.

Fellow Citizens of Edgewater,

Peculiar laws are common in communities large or small, and Edgewater is no exception.  I’m glad to see ballot question 2H to amend our charter and eliminate the 180-day rule. While it might seem reasonable to award a recently vacant seat to the next candidate with the greatest number of votes, it directly contradicts the will of the people. For almost half a year a candidate who didn’t earn enough votes to win has the potential of gaining a seat should a vacancy be found for any reason whatsoever. It is absurd that our charter directs this action contrary to the demonstrated will of the Edgewater voters.  Yet this is how our law currently functions. Whether we like it or not, the results of the election are negated.  Are we so desperate to fill a seat on our large council that we do so with whoever is next best, or, possibly one who received the fewest votes? The City will be better served by purging this oddity of election law from our charter.  Please join me and vote in favor of Question 2H.

Sincerely

David Fleck
(former Edgewater Councilman)

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.