The town of Framingham decided in an election last November to become a city. It was a highly adversarial process, and the decision came down to a difference of 108 votes. Framingham will become a city on January 1, 2018. As I watched this process unfold, I was surprised at how many people did not know the vote was even happening, and that so many people were confused about what they were actually voting for. It reinforced my long held belief that we need to do a better job of informing our residents. The League of Women Voters has always held the principle that an informed electorate makes for better outcomes, so it seemed pretty clear to me the League was needed in Framingham as we get ready to vote in what will most likely be the most important local election we will ever hold.
I spoke with many people, and everyone agreed that someone should try to get the LWV going again here in Framingham. It finally dawned on me that I was a “someone” and that if I believed it was important, I needed to step up to the plate and work to make it happen. We have had a great response, and we are already hearing from many residents about how important what we are doing is.
It has been an exciting and whirlwind time, and I think we are starting to see our work pay off as we prepare to host three Candidate Showcases prior to the elections here in Framingham. As Framingham is building the foundation for our new city form of government, the Framingham Unit of the League of Women Voters is building the foundation to be an important asset to the residents in helping them make informed decisions about the future of Framingham.