On my way to the polls, today, I ran into a neighbor who had just voted. She is well-educated (has a PhD)  and is a responsible citizen. I asked her how she had handled having to rank 25 candidates for City Council…not to mention 9 for the School Committee… on the paper ballot.  “There were two names I recognized,” she said. “I voted for them; the rest I chose at random,” she said.

Great. I’d written down my choices–but the crush of candidates and their supporters in front of the school where I vote felt overwhelming.

The school committee candidate I’d planned to place fifth gave me a crushing handshake and said he hoped I’d put him first.

The self-proclaimed “best friend” of a city council candidate said she’d really appreciate my vote.

A  lackluster fellow had spoken to me at my doorstep weeks earlier–suggesting that the frontrunner did not need my number 1 so I should give it to him.

In researching the school committee field, I’d been unimpressed with the school candidate who had put his kid in private school…Had decided to give my number 1 vote to a recent business school grad who attended the Cambridge public schools–after several of his uncles–all of whom worked in m– had been killed in the candidate’s native African homeland…

Anyway, I’d written down my choices but with so many names on the ballot, in the voting booth,  I somehow skipped a school committee candidate I favored and had to request a new ballot…Goofed again on my city council ballot….When I returned, again, for a new one, a  poll watcher asked if I understood how to vote and did I need help. On my second city council ballot try, I found myself voting for incumbents, figuring they, at least,  knew what they were doing.

When I went to check out, the voting machine refused my school committee ballot–the tip of the pen had touched one of the boxes when I was considering whom to mark as number 5.  I requested yet another school committee ballot. The poll watcher remarked,  “Luckily this doesn’t happen often.”

I asked if she meant that most people don’t goof up like I had or that there aren’t usually so many candidates.

“I meant it’s lucky we only vote once a year,” she said.

On my third school committee ballot I somehow missed giving the young African my number one vote. I was too embarrassed to ask for a fourth ballot so gave him number three–and a couple of others–mostly incumbents, the rest of my votes–pretty much at random.

The ballot went through. I remarked to another poll watcher that I’d goofed, yet again and that perhaps the system should be changed. “It’s historically correct,” she assured me. “It dates from the 1700s.”

I do wonder if, in the 1700s, voters had to rank 25 people for the same office–or if the system was designed –or remains– to ensure that incumbents remain  in office. I also wonder if, as a British colleague remarked when I told him about our ranking system,  there is such a thing as “too much democracy.”

—Anita M. Harris

Anita Harris is a writer and consultant living in Cambridge, MA.

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, a PR and market development firm based in Kendall Square.

Cambridge Mayfair 5-05-13 1

Had just left the Hair Cuttery in Harvard Square ( Clarissa did a great job–I was her first client at 9 am on Sunday!); called my friend E who, it turned out was also in the Square, to do a quick run through  Mayfair before it got too crowded. As long-time denizens of Harvard Square, we started out a bit jaded . “Same vendors, same food ,Octoberfest, year after year,” E had remarked the previous day. But this time seemed different–many new nonprofits–J Street for Israeli Arab peace, the Cambridge Art Association, “Chalk on the sidewalk” opportunities with a number of Chamber of Commerce members sponsoring space, a few excellent street musicians…many international food vendors, and even a train to take kids around for $3.00.  E and I were a bit taken aback by the number of police bomb squad vehicles on Brattle Street–and by flocks of Cambridge police–highly visible in bright chartreuse vests–on patrol. Had not thought about possible danger but E pointed out that there could be copycat bombings, especially since the accused Marathon bombers three weeks ago had lived in Cambridge.  The police presence made me feel more anxious than secure…Still, E bought some beautiful scarves for $5 apiece and won $24 worth of Zip car miles in a carnival-like game.  I scored at the Commonwealth’s booth, where I found my name on a list of people who had unclaimed funds….Evidently, I’d left $400  in the old Coolidge bank when I moved to New York–and by the time I moved back to Cambridge, the bank had closed.  So–all in all, we had a great time. See you there next year?

Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and digital marketing agency located in Cambridge, MA. 

Breakthrough Greater Boston, the nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing under-resourced students to attend four-year colleges and to training the next generation of urban teachers, reports that it raised $215, 000 in its annual Springfest event on April 24th. 

According to a recent press release:

Springfest supports Breakthrough Greater Boston’s (BTGB) college access and teacher training programs, with this year’s event held at the Moakley Courthouse in Boston to celebrate the program’s site expansion to Dorchester. . Commencing this summer, the organization will bring its successful Students Teaching Students model to Boston, marking the first time BTGB will run multiple sites in the Greater Boston area. The program’s inauguration at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester will double the number of traditionally underserved middle and high school students and aspiring young teachers benefiting from its services.

“Springfest represents a fantastic opportunity for the Cambridge and Boston communities to come together and support equal access to quality education,” said Executive Director of Breakthrough Greater Boston, Elissa Spelman. “Over the past 20 years, Breakthrough has proudly served the Cambridge community, helping students bridge the achievement gap. We are thrilled to now bring our services to the Boston community to guide twice as many students in achieving their dream of graduating from a four-year college.”

The event, attended by 300 participants, provided a fun and inspiring evening for the BTGB community to support the organization’s goals and to help fund the intensive out-of-school time academic and teacher training programming. Held in the landmark Moakley Courthouse in Boston, guests were treated to a reception with live music, student and teacher testimonials, and remarks from the organization. The event also featured a live auction and raffle with donated contributions from more than a dozen local businesses and individuals.

For more information on Breakthrough Greater Boston, please visit www.breakthroughgreaterboston.org

About Breakthrough Greater Boston
Breakthrough Greater Boston (BTGB) transforms urban education for students and teachers in Boston and Cambridge. Through six years of intensive, out of school time programming, Breakthrough changes students’ academic trajectories and supports them along the path to four-year college. Simultaneously, Breakthrough builds careers in education through an unparalleled teacher training program for college-aged students that features competitive national recruitment, research-based training, and daily coaching from master teachers. Breakthrough’s unique Students Teaching Students model inspires college students to become the next generation of urban educators and students to become college graduates. Visit http://breakthroughgreaterboston.org to learn more.

–ANita M. Harris

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and digital marketing firm located in Kendall Square, Cambridge.

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Photos by Anita M. Harris; kindly request permission and link before re-posting.

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and content marketing firm located in Cambridge, MA.