This week, Jason Hurdle District, a representative to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission, will resign from his position. A job relocation will force him to leave the metropolitan area for Memphis, Tenn. In response, the ANC will solicit applications for the empty seat and hold a special election if more than one candidate comes forth.
Because Henle Village and Darnall Hall fall into single-member District 2E02, Hurdle’s departure provides an opportunity to elect a second student to the ANC. Students and neighbors alike will benefit from the election of a second student representative who has a mandate that includes the interests of the entire community.
While Mike Glick (CAS ‘05) already gives Georgetown students a voice in community politics, a student candidate with popular support from both students and neighbors can effectively deal with town-gown tensions and foster a true sense of cooperation. The best example of this in recent history is the election of Justin Kopa (CAS ‘03) and Justin Wagner (CAS ‘03) to the ANC after strained town-gown relations peaked because of the controversial 10-year plan. Kopa and Wagner helped stimulate greater communication between students and neighbors and introduced the student bill of rights. In addition, Kopa and Wagner supported many neighborhood positions, such as opposing all-you-can-drink specials at bars and parking concerns. Kopa’s and Wagner’s experiences show that student representatives, with support from students and neighbors, can effectively take positions that benefit both the community and the University.
Unlike elections on the Georgetown campus, a student candidate will not win in the neighborhood by default. Georgetown students must fight apathy towards local politics and come out in support of a stronger voice on the ANC. As well, any student candidate considering election to the ANC in district 2E02 must acknowledge neighborhood concerns during their campaign.
