By Nick Sudheimer, Minnesota Daily (10/12/11) excerpt - "From a small wooden table in a corner of Muddsuckers Coffee Shop in Southeast Como, Minneapolis City Councilman Cam Gordonsipped on a cup of coffee and waited to see if any of his constituents would show up for his Tuesday “office hours.” It’s a typical Tuesday morning for Gordon. At 55, he is in his second term as councilman for Ward 2 — one of the two city wards in Minneapolis that encompass the University of Minnesota community. Consisting of a unique blend of students and permanent residents, Ward 2 has among the lowest voter turnouts in the city, in large part because students simply don’t vote. Voter turnout in the 2009 city elections was dismal in student-dominated precincts of Gordon’s ward, from 10 percent in Southeast Como to just 2 percent in the Superblock area. “It’s been a challenge,” Gordon said. “One of the challenges isn’t just the low voter turnout — it’s the temporary nature of the individuals here.” . . ." |
  |
|