If MSU student John Fournier and alumnus Matthew Mitroka think they can usurp East Lansing City Councilmembers Vic Loomis and Bill Sharp, they better bring their A game.
The political theory and constitutional democracy junior and current city Planning Commission member have quite a challenge in front of them. Sharp and Loomis are tenured council members who have the city's residents behind them.
Why wouldn't East Lansing's residents support them? Every decision they make is in their best interest - housing and noise ordinances, city developments. Such bias, however, is all the more reason a student voice is needed on the council. Students make up a sizable portion of the city's population, at least about nine months out of the year. Fournier and Mitroka should be applauded for attempting to give students a voice.
But if they hope to have a real shot at making it, it's going to take a lot of work. Much more than Loomis and Sharp will have to put in.
Fournier has the right idea, both the students and the council have to move past the "us vs. them" mentality. But both possible candidates are going to have to garner the student vote by any means necessary. If that means using polarizing issues such as the police's reaction to the April 2-3 disturbances, then so be it. It seems to be one of the only issues students are passionate about in regard to the city.
On the other hand, both candidates can't ride the student vote alone to make it into office. Unfortunately, even with disturbances, it's not likely students will suddenly become interested in city politics and mobilized to vote.
As president of the MSU College Democrats, Fournier should recall the November election - where presidential contenders campaigned into enemy territory to win battleground states - and go after the citizen vote.
Mitroka's experience on the Planning Commission should give him a leg up on accomplishing this task. He's already shown a dedication to taking part in the city and it wouldn't be as big of a stretch to see him in a council seat come November.
Perhaps, it would be a good idea for both candidates to campaign together. They both probably have something to teach each other with Mitroka being out of the college scene and Fournier having never held a city office. Both candidates should take note of Alan Fox's advice. The East Lansing resident served on the council from 1977-1981 while he was a student at MSU. His campaign strategy? Go around to dorms and houses, knock on doors and earn support.
As Fox put it, "there are no magic bullets, there are no big grand statements to make you be better in touch with the entire community."
Mitroka is worried that voters won't take him seriously because he hasn't long been out of college. What voters don't take seriously is when they sense a candidate isn't wholeheartedly interested in trying to improve the city. As long as both candidates can convey that to voters, they'll have a chance.
