Bike The Vote 2010 & SM Spoke Hosting Informal Public Social Meeting With The Candidates

The election is coming up fast (be sure to register if you aren't already!), and Monday was the Santa Monica Daily Press's Squirm Night, where some tough questions were presented to the local candidates, making for some occasionally awkward and revealing moments. Local politics can actually be pretty entertaining with the right questions. I encourage everyone to get informed and involved. National and State level elections often command the biggest attention, but it's at the local level that policy and candidates often have the most direct impact on your daily life. For bicyclists, local politics are huge in shaping the quality of our riding experience as we navigate all the local streets.

If you want to hear more about the candidates, as well as local measures, Santa Monica actually has a great website, smvote.org, with short videos with candidate's views on some various topics of local concern, and a calender of some of the upcoming election related events along with links to various voter resources. The Santa Monica Daily Press also has answers to a questionnaire for each candidate. A question on making Santa Monica more bike friendly is in there as well, so each candidate is on the record in some form on bikes. Due to the lack of specifics a single question can get into, I also sent a letter with questions to each candidate of my own, and any candidates who return answers will have them posted to this blog.

Finally, Santa Monica Spoke managed to squeeze in an election event amidst all the others going on, for this Thursday Night. It will be an informal gathering with a chance to meet some of the candidates as well as mingle with other area cyclists and advocates. It's a unique opportunity to talk face to face with council candidates, and some incumbents seeking re-election, and share your concerns,  I'll be there as well, and I hope you can make it out. There will be some snacks and drinks and such as well. Be heard, this will be a chance where you aren't constrained to a 2 minute comment.

Newsletter Blast From SM Spoke Below (Which you can subscribe to here by the way):

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is hosting an informal
Meet the Candidates,
Social Mixer

Thursday October 7,  6.30pm 8:45pm*
Informal Meet and Greet and Social Mixer with Santa Monica City Council
We want your comments and ideas... Lets TALK BIKES!
Converse with the candidates, hear their thoughts on Santa Monica
It's a no speeches, up close talk with City Council Candidates about Bikes and Santa Monica.


Current list of Attendees: 

Kevin McKeown,

Terry O’Day, Bob Holbrook

Jon Mann, David Ganezer, Susan Hartley, Jerry Rubin
Regrets:

Pam O’Connor (out of town)
Gleam Davis (back to school night)
Robert Kronovert (out of town)

Location, Date & Time: 
Thursday, October 7th from 6:30 to 8:45pm
502 Colorado, (south east corner 5th and Colorado)
click here to RSVP

 

*Snacks and refreshments will be served

Plenty of secure bike parking in the enclosed Patio. 

And please, make sure all our friends in the community know about this and are coming
Look for Updates on this event at:
SMSpoke.org