My letter is in response to the comment from the Mason clerk’s office and its response to the 9.3 percent voter turnout in Tuesday’s primary for city council. I believe the city has once again found a way to keep students from voicing their opinions.

By holding the primaries during the summer months, the majority of constituents are unable to vote in the primary. Most of East Lansing’s residents are working hard at summer jobs to afford another year in an overpriced city. Now, when the election does occur, there will be a fair representation of students in the area, but they aren’t able to vote for the candidates who most closely represent their needs. All four of the candidates elected in the primary clearly represent the views of permanent residents, but those residents only compose a fraction of all East Lansing residents.

I believe candidates Nick D’Isa, Matt Mitroka and Shane Waller all have a more realistic idea of what is good for the majority of East Lansing’s residents. This election’s low voter turnout isn’t due to voter apathy, but voter absence. The true apathy will come in November when the students return to find no candidates who support their views. Leave it to East Lansing to allow the few to control the many. I’m sure there is no need to remind the lawmakers of East Lansing that without the students, their jobs and city no longer exist. Or is there? The point is that all elections held in the city should be held when school is in session, so all of East Lansing’s residents have a chance to vote.

Craig Harcek
environmental science senior