University political science major Maco Stewart, who lost a bid for ASUO vice president two weeks ago, is running again — this time to represent Eugene City Council Ward 3.
Stewart will face a tough May 21 primary election opponent in incumbent City Council President David Kelly. Ward 3 encompasses the campus and much of the surrounding University neighborhoods.
Stewart’s ASUO Executive running mate, Greg McNeil, said Stewart has shown interest in the city council for some time but wanted to follow through on his promise to run for executive first.
“He’s not doing this because we lost,” McNeil said.
Stewart, a junior, said he’s ready to represent students at the city level.
“I’ve been living here for a couple years,” he said. “It doesn’t seem that anyone cares about students at all.”
Stewart said he believes that students often are the victim of negative attention from city officials and the Eugene Police Department.
“They single us out for abuse but don’t do anything to help us,” he said.
Kelly said the council does care about students, and voters should consider his track record with the city since 1999.
“I’m going to continue working hard, as I have these past four years, for Eugene’s long-term viability,” he said.
Kelly recently came to represent the University when the council redrew ward districts in November. Ward 3 has 18,000 residents and 8,500 registered voters, and is bordered by the Will-amette River to the north, 30th Avenue to the south, Amazon Parkway to the west and Interstate 5 to the east.
Stewart said since Ward 3 encompasses the University, a student should represent the district. He said student issues will be the focus of his platform, including pursuing a housing code and keeping large employers in Eugene to employ students.
“David Kelly has been paying lip service to the ASUO,” Stewart said. “He had no interest in student issues before ward redistricting.”
Kelly acknowledged that he paid more attention to the Eugene community than to college students until his ward was redrawn to include the University but said he’s taken an active interest in student issues for some time now.
Kelly said he’s been actively working with ASUO to develop housing standards for the city, and he pointed to city efforts such as reopening Broadway as evidence the council has tried to keep student interests in mind.
“It’s the culture that exists in a university town that drew me here,” Kelly added.
If Stewart is elected, he’ll need to commit to at least four more years in Eugene for his term as city councilor, and McNeil said his former running mate is up to the task.
“Maco’s the sort of guy who will stick around, even if there was something better, just because he made the commitment,” McNeil said.
McNeil and Stewart placed ninth out of 10 ASUO Executive tickets in the Feb. 22 primary with 105 votes.
Stewart plans to quit his job at the Pita Pit if elected councilor and dedicate 25 hours or more to his civic tasks. Kelly said he currently devotes 35 hours a week to his job as city councilor.