Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Turnout at Polls lowest in Decades - Boston Globe

Minority voting plummets in Boston, losing the only Latino City Council seat.

Turnout at Polls lowest in Decades
Boston Globe
Nov 7, 2007

(excerpts)
Boston's voter turnout plummeted to its lowest level in more than two decades yesterday, especially in the city's predominantly nonwhite neighborhoods, a tide of apathy that swept the City Council's only Latino member, Felix Arroyo, out of office.

Reversing a trend of increasing voting by minority groups set over the last five years, turnout was especially low in nonwhite communities and disproportionately strong in traditionally white, Irish enclaves.

More broadly, it marks a further decline in Boston's storied culture of local political involvement, in which ward-level politics has been a crucial part of the community fabric.

Secretary of State William F. Galvin ...[said] "It's a ... lack of inspiring messages."

Some observers say there has been an apathy among Boston residents that has been growing for years, the result of a transient population, younger demographics, and more diverse residents who are less likely to vote.

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