The election calendar plays tricks with our minds — and I’m not referring to Donald Trump’s antics. There are 11 weeks until Election Day, but Labor Day comes late this year and despite seeing Halloween decorations for aquariums at Pet Smart, I’m acutely aware that November 3rd still feels like a very long way off for everyone but those of us whose names are on the ballot. Conversely, municipal elections roll around every two years and many people feel as if the last crop of yard signs was only recently harvested. (If you would like to plant one of my yard signs, please let me know.)
Summer distractions combined with a surprising degree of unfamiliarity about how Cambridge’s unique voting system works make it challenging to drum up interest in the local election, especially in August. But I’m out every day (slathered in sunscreen), talking with any residents I can find at home. Sometimes I answer basic questions like, how many councillors are there? (9). Sometimes people can’t remember the name of the councillor who lives down the street whom they usually vote for (“Isn’t what’s his name ‘our guy’?”)— and I remind them that all 9 seats are at-large and that they can vote for any candidates who share their views regardless of where they live. The best tutorial I’ve seen on how our proportional representation vote ranking system works is a CCTV video by Robert Winters and Susanna Segat. (They illustrate with a series of bar charts how the vote transfers work at about the 19-minute mark.)
On Sunday I got some impromptu public speaking practice when I volunteered to be first up at the launch of Cambridge’s new Speakers’ Circle in Harvard Square. I had come intending only to listen but stepped up (literally — I stood on one of the columns ringing the Pit) to kick off what could become a new tradition of community-driven public speaking. Inspired by London’s famous Speaker’s Corner’s at Hyde Park, Cambridge Day editor Marc Levy is launching the Speakers’ Circle because he believes our city deserves a similar free speech forum. And what better place to attract an eclectic mix of speakers (and listeners) than Harvard Square, the epicenter of the world’s most opinionated zip code? I think it’s a great idea and hope it gains notice and momentum this fall. And as the city continues its place making study of Harvard Square, maybe the Speakers’ Circle could be incorporated into the programming plan for the Out of Town News building once the newsstand closes. A space dedicated to free speech and the open exchange of ideas would be a natural evolution. The historic building could house exhibits and discussions on topics of civic interest, and the Speakers’ Circle could move indoors during inclement weather. In the meantime come to Harvard Square next Sunday from 11-12 and speak up.
How I felt after canvassing in Sunday afternoon’s heat.
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