New Orleans faces one of the most important votes in the city’s history on Saturday. Voters will go to the polls to elect a mayor whose task will be to reshape and rebuild one of the nation’s most storied cities after the shattering effects of Hurricane Katrina. Voters will have their choice of 22 candidates, including current mayor Ray Nagin.
We have chosen, as this paper almost always does, to remain neutral in the contest. It is not our duty to make choices for the student body. Still, we recognize the extremely vital importance of this election not only to the people of New Orleans, but to the state and region itself. New Orleans was, and even in its weakened condition, still is a vital economic center for Louisiana. Without the proper leadership, the city itself could stagnate, and we will all suffer.
As for University students who are from the city, we cannot urge you enough to head back to New Orleans and vote on Saturday if you haven’t already voted.
As the city’s future and the inheritors of the current mess, it is the duty of young adults of voting age to press for clean government, better services and a safer environment to raise future generations.
However the election turns out, and polls indicate it is likely to go to a run-off, we must keep in mind that the rest of the nation is watching us. If we are unable to build ourselves back up, the image of New Orleans as a “once-great” city will become the final vision for millions of Americans, as well as those outside of our country.
We cannot allow this to happen. Voters must do their duty on Saturday and elect whoever they see fit to lead New Orleans into a better future.