Daily News Editorial: Neighborhood Councils Need You

[This editorial appeared in the Daily News on June 7, 2012.]   

Tuesday's primary election dumped scores of political hopefuls from the the state's ballots. From Arcata to Arleta and San Francisco to Signal Hill, candidates for various legislative offices found their campaigns over when they did not place in the top two of vote-getters in their contests.

This election season is especially crowded, due to the unprecedented coupling of a radical redrawing of political districts and the debut of the state's top-two primary system, in which voter favorites regardless of party win a place in the general election. This opened up dozens of legislative and congressional seats to real competition, drawing in aspiring politicians who finally had an actual chance.

Some of them may wait for the next opportunity  to run for the state Legislature or Congress. Others might throw in the towel, knowing that the uncommon openness of 2012 races is unlikely to occur again.

Then there are those who will look for other ways to get involved. Here's one they might consider: running for a seat on their neighborhood council.

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