Candidates in the race for Denver’s District 8 City Council seat are battling to represent what all of them view as the most diverse district in the city.
Four candidates are on the ballot and a fifth is campaigning as a write-in for one of the three open seats on the council.
All five candidates said diversity has shaped the way they have campaigned to replace former City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth.
“I think it is a critical point in the district’s history,” said Sharon Bailey, a former Denver Public Schools Board of Education member who works in the city auditor’s office.
“Historically it has been an African- American seat, but I think there is that undertone of tension about what the future is going to be and who can really take the district forward at this time,” she said.
Darrell Watson, a former president of the Whittier Neighborhood Association, noted that the area’s diversity is not limited to race. The district runs from downtown to east of Colorado Boulevard.
“I think our diversity is based on economics,” he said, noting that the district contains everything from million-dollar homes to scores of poor residents.
“We have to have someone who listens to and provides a voice to all these families.”
Despite the differences within the area, there are common concerns among candidates on the issues of affordable housing, education and crime.
Greg Rasheed, a radio personality and youth advocate, said he hopes to fight increasing graffiti and gang activity in the district.
“I want to make summer jobs available to any teen who wants one,” he said. “There are programs like that that started after the ‘Summer of Violence,’ but we’ve kind of dropped the ball on all this.”
Carla Madison, who described herself as a neighborhood activist, said the district’s next City Council representative can help improve neighborhoods by pushing for better code enforcement.
“I would like to see a vacancy tax put in,” she said. “If you have a deteriorating or vacant building for a long time … we should raise the taxes on it until they fix it or sell it to someone who will.”
Meanwhile, Lynn Smith is trying to win the seat despite not making the ballot. Smith said she turned in more than the required 100 signatures to get on the ballot, but 75 were disqualified because they were collected by someone who did not live in District 8.
Smith said struggles working with city agencies as a business owner inspired her to run for council.
“The system is not set up to help you succeed,” she said. “You’re lucky if you can even get in.”
The city’s mail-in election culminates May 1. Ballots have already been mailed.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
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