Valley’s Voice Starts With the Vote

Nearly two weeks after the fact, it’s doubtful that many care to think about the June 5 municipal elections. In that sense, not much has changed since June 5, when few people in the San Fernando Valley cared to think about going to the polls--a sad comment on a community that claims to be tired of having its voice ignored.

Take a look at returns in the 11th District, which stretches from the Westside to Van Nuys. The results make clear that Valley voters didn’t seem too inclined to upset the status quo, no matter how irked they are with the state of things. Sure, the election was marked by historically low turnout rates. But Valley voters stayed home at a rate higher than voters in the rest of the district.

For all the bluster about the Valley not getting its fair share from City Hall or even about detaching the Valley from the city altogether, one fact remains: Solving the very real problems facing the Valley requires more than just griping and pipe dreams. It requires participating. And that starts with something as simple as voting. Ballots can speak with a voice loud enough to be heard even in City Hall, but with turnouts like those of June 5, the Valley’s voice will continue to be a whisper.