Perspective on the Last Election

Can we all just get along? I remember my father running for Mayor of Bradley Beach and all he wanted to do was unite a town, which was divided. Well, he lost the election, but brought about changes, which made this New Jersey Seashore town reunite.

Here in San Diego there is a discrepancy between the city charter and the municipal code. The first does not allow for write-in candidates in general elections and the second does. This is something that can divide a community and that is the last thing we need. My problem is, I voted for Donna Frye. Let’s forget that I am a republican. I wrote her name in and no one told me about this problem. Why would this city let me vote for someone and then tell me my vote is no good? No one is really looking at how this happened and doesn’t seem to care, yet! If Donna Frye won the election, someone would fight the validation of it. If she lost, someone else would fight its validation, separating this city into pieces.

Who is this lady? Why did she enter this race? I see a person who stands by her convictions. Donna Frye will be Mayor one day. I see this by what she has done in six weeks as a write-in candidate. This lady has brought an interest into a mayoral campaign that hasn’t been seen in this whole election and look she was ahead of the pack. Now please, let us not divide a city. She has opened the local government up to the public and is a board member of Californians Aware (An organization dedicated to providing public access to government information). I am member of the public, and am I now aware of the discrepancy between the city charter and the municipal code. We can thank Donna Frye for this.

Donna Frye was elected as council-member representing the 6th District by special election to complete an unexpired term in June 2001; she was re-elected to a full, four-year term in March 2002 with a booming 65 percent of the vote. Grass-roots politics and her style of governing are all about openness. She spends as many hours meeting with constituents as she does at city council meetings and as an environmental activist. Her commitment to clean water issues is unquestioned. She has worked to strengthen San Diego City policies related to polluted runoff. Donna Frye also played a central role in obtaining millions of dollars for the clean up of Mission Bay. "As an activist you have to force people to listen to you," she says. "I never want to do that to the people of the 6th District. My door is always open." (Donna)

Did Donna Frye, know about the discrepancy between the city charter and the municipal codes? We all have public access to most government information and if we can not get this information, Donna Frye will help. I will say she most likely did not find out until she was already in the race. The county Registrar of Voters and San Diego City Clerk's offices was contacted in late August and she was told that the law allows write-ins candidates.

San Diego has always allowed write-in candidates maybe not thinking one would win. San Diego's current practice dates back two decades. “In 1985, the California Supreme Court, in Canaan v. Abdelnour, found that the city's prohibition of write-ins violated free-speech protections. San Diego was forced to change its law on write-ins, which for the previous 24 years had banned such candidacies.” (Union)

What needs to be done now is to bring this city together. We have got to stop this bickering. Donna Frye has made an impact on this city and I feel it is time to unite. She has a belief that government should be open and accessible to its constituents. Well she has opened a can of worms here. This has only helped her career so far, so I would suggest she run again later, in less arguable legal circumstances, next time she will win if she does not divide this city. If people would just follow directions she would be Mayor.

To conclude, the city charter and the municipal code discrepancy is now being looked at. “Charters are law. Codes are required to conform with charters." Said Chip Nelson, a Marin County lawyer, who spent many years as former Gov. Pete Wilson's attorney. (LA Times) Donna Frye will be around for a long time and she will have my vote even if I have to write her name in. I can follow directions. May-be I should tell my dad there is a job in San Diego.