Eric Budd: Election: MAGA Republicans attack democracy in Boulder
Across the country, MAGA Republicans are working to restrict our right to vote. The tactics include reducing early voting in Iowa, suing to block mail voting in Pennsylvania, and removing polling places to force people to wait in line for hours to vote in Georgia. Our democratic right to vote is under threat across the nation, and Boulder is not immune to GOP efforts to suppress the vote.
On Monday August 29th, the GOP candidate to represent Boulder in House District 10 filed a lawsuit to challenge the compliance of Boulder County’s election ballot drop boxes. The complaint “asked the court to issue an emergency injunction ordering [the Boulder County Clerk] to bring the District 10 drop boxes ‘into compliance with the laws,’ or to rule that the boxes cannot be used,” per Colorado Newsline.
The attempt to challenge the use of drop boxes is clearly timed to disrupt Boulder residents who will be voting in the 2022 midterm elections.
Here in Boulder and Colorado, we praise efforts to make it easier to vote. We support all-mail elections, weeks of early voting, and convenient ballot drop boxes across the city. Not only must we protect everyone’s right to vote, we must take opportunities to expand access to voting here at home.
Our city council has put a measure on the 2022 ballot to change Boulder’s local elections to even years, when voter turnout is nearly double compared to the city’s off-cycle elections.
Moving local elections to the same day as state and federal elections is the single most effective change that local governments can make to increase turnout and to fight efforts to suppress our votes.
Please vote yes to strengthen our local democracy. To learn more about the campaign to pass this measure, visit PeopleForVoterTurnout.com.
Eric Budd, Boulder
Mark Van Akkeren: Library District: Let’s support our neighbors and our democracy
I’m confused and disappointed by the anti-library campaign that is opposing Boulder’s funding and formation of a library district. I mean, who hates libraries?
The opposition campaign is led by two conservative former city councilors who are also long-time members of PLAN-Boulder. It’s sad to see how far PLAN has fallen. It was once an organization that built lasting legacies, yet now seems to define itself only by what it opposes: progress. In addition to opposing libraries, they are also against life-saving flood control, and against having more voters participate in local democracy.
Libraries are one of our community’s most beloved institutions, right alongside parks and Open Space. Boulder residents see what PLAN does not, in recent polling 78% of likely voters said they would vote for the expansion of library funding, whereas only 16% were against it. This fall let’s support our libraries, our neighbors and our democracy.
Mark Van Akkeren, Boulder
Marion R. Hill: Election: Thirteen years is enough for Bennet
Michael Bennet says he’s fighting to prevent congresspersons from becoming lobbyists, keep congresspersons from insider stock trading and he says he is saving abortion rights. Bills he’s sponsored on lobbying and trading have been referred to committee and die listening to crickets. If you think Bennet is going to get a stock trading bill past Pelosi, you’re smoking the good stuff. Fighting for abortion rights? I couldn’t find any sponsored bills. He’s probably voting the party line, which he is an expert at.
He’s got little to show except for a failed presidential bid. He has a Democrat president but hasn’t been able to persuade him to keep the Space Force in Colorado. We’re as blue as we can be, and he can’t sway the “Big Guy”? Biden has reversed everything else Trump did, what gives? If Bennet wanted a cause everyone would back, what about DACA? He got a bill past the Senate but it died in the House. Why not re-introduce it now when Democrats control Congress?
Thirteen years is long enough. He’s qualified for his pension and healthcare, he won’t be destitute. It’s time to move on and give Mr. O’Dea a shot.
Marion R. Hill, Longmont
