You may be one of the 40% of Americans who don’t vote (NBC news). Many constituents express that voting feels like a futile effort because their voice appears to be nothing more than a single drop in the ocean. On the contrary, that notion couldn’t be further from the truth. In Wilsonville, Oregon, the City Council introduced two resolutions to modify the charter that established term limits in 2020; thanks to the power of your vote, the charter remained favorable to the people of Wilsonville.
The first measure determined whether or not a two-term city councilor could serve two additional consecutive terms as mayor (ci.wilsonville.or.us). While the suggested addendum may not appear to be drastic, it would still inhibit the circulation of new people and ideas. In comparison to the three branches of government, the city council is tied to the functions of the legislative branch, while the mayor is associated with the executive branch. Therefore, this measure would allow a lateral move from the council to mayor and vice versa. Fortunately, 56.83% of voters were against the addendum, so it will not go into effect (results.oregonvotes.gov).
The second measure suggested an amendment to exempt the days of a councilor’s term if it were less than 365.25 days (ci.wilsonville.or.us). Constituents might make the mistake of assuming that one year is an insignificant amount of time, so taking an opposing stance is fatuous; however, if it were truly insignificant, why would it be introduced on the ballot? The explanation is simple: in one year, this individual can build a plethora of connections, an abundance of wealth, and begin to sow the seeds of their influence during this “year in the air.” Thankfully, this measure didn’t pass either- 52.89% of constituents voted against it (results.oregonvotes.gov).
Coincidentally, if either one of these measures had passed, Mayor Julie Fitzgerald would have been permitted to seek reelection for another four year term. While this fact was never denied, few realize that the former titles of those measures violated Oregon’s statutory standards for ballot titles. This is hardly surprising, considering that the proposed measures claimed to “refine mayoral term limits”, despite already being clearly defined in the charter. It is imperative that these parameters are clearly defined, because the manner in which things are presented greatly impact our perceptions, and alter subsequent decisions. For instance, if someone were to assert the notion that dihydrogen monoxide is a dangerous chemical compound, many would swiftly agree in a panic- not realizing that the colloquial name of the substance is water. Similarly, if one were to proclaim that we needed to “refine” term limits, it implies that it’s a broad concept that needs more regulation instead of what it really is: the Mayor’s attempt to make exceptions a rule.
It’s easy to believe that your vote is inconsequential to the final outcome of a ballot, but that doesn’t mean that’s the reality. 3,002 voters didn’t want councilors to serve an additional two terms as mayor, so they won’t. 3,319 constituents wanted a term that spanned 365.25 days or less to not be exempted when calculated, and now it will continue to (results.oregonvotes.gov). Voting is power, so it’s critical that we exercise this right- politicians will never reinforce this fact because inaction makes their acquisition of power infinitely easier.