AURORA VOTES: Party may spoil some city council hopefuls

 AURORA | Alfonso Nuñez has a handful of failed bids for a city council seat under his belt.

“It’s just a really strange animal to crack. You’ve got some folks that are leaving but it seems that they just recycle them,” he said of the council makeup. “They just go leave for a few years, play golf and get reappointed again. I don’t get it.”

One answer could be that city elections are less partisan than others, and Aurora’s attract fewer voters than what is seen on a national scale because they happen out of the congressional and presidential cycles.

Norman Provizer, a political science professor with Metropolitan State University of Denver, says those factors mean only a small number of voters take part.

“People who generally tend to turn out the most are older, white,” he said. “They tend to have a stronger, more significant voice.”

Francoise Bergan, a Republican candidate running for the Ward VI seat, said she is running at the municipal level precisely because party politics don’t play as much into decision-making.

“I have had very few people ask me about my party affiliation,” she said. “They’re more interested in a specific issue and how you stand on that. How you’re going to solve road and traffic issues. I come from a business background, and I’m used to solving problems … That’s the part I like about local government.”

Brian Arnold, an independent candidate also running in Ward VI, said the issue is not so simple.

“That sounds good, but in reality it just is not true,” he said. “Campaign resources are not less partisan.  Everything from donors to endorsements tend to be very partisan.”

Arnold also points to hot-button issues such as fracking and how urban blight grants are issued as examples where politics play a role in government decision-making.

He adds that even counties that are more left-leaning or right-leaning tend to in-fight.

“All these to me seem to justify the presence of some independents who can collaborate and be a nagging reminder that both sides need to work tighter,” he said. “Our city needs a couple of strong collaborative, non-affiliated on the council to bring people together in problem solving.”

CANDIDATES BY PARTY

Stephen D. Hogan: Republican

Joe Lewis: Democrat

Charlie Richardson: Republican

Bob Roth: Republican

Brian Arnold: Independent

Francoise Bergan: Republican

PK Kaiser: Democrat

Debi Hunter Holen: Democrat

Angela Lawson: Republican

Bob LeGare: Republican

Maya Wheeler: Democrat

Livia Payne: Unaffiliated

— Cheri McElhiney did not respond for comment.