Tito Jackson sets out to engage voters

Tito Jackson sets out to engage voters
By Colneth Smiley Jr.  |   Thursday, March 17, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Politics

Photo by Mark Garfinkel

Vowing to combat the voter apathy he witnessed in his own election, District 7 City Councilor-elect Tito Jackson took to the streets of District 7 to thank his supporters after a quiet congratulatory breakfast with his mother and family yesterday morning.

“Apathy is a two-way street,” Jackson told the Herald. “Residents should know what’s going on in their community, but it’s incumbent upon elected officials to make sure they know what’s going on and to deliver to them.”

The former aide to Gov. Deval Patrick received 82 percent of the votes, beating out opponent Cornell Mills, who received only 16 percent of a total 3,452 votes for the seat vacated by the ouster of Chuck Turner, who has been ordered to start serving his three-year prison term on federal corruption charges March 25.

The turnout was a slight uptick from the last month’s primary, which brought out only 2,887 voters. The district has more than 30,000 voters listed as active on city rolls.

Winning on a platform to provide employment opportunities and safer streets for inner-city residents, Jackson celebrated his victory Tuesday night at Biff’s Lounge in Dorchester and engaged with the public yesterday through interviews on local radio stations Touch 106.1 FM and Big City 101.3 FM.

“It is important for people to have access to their city councilor,” said Jackson, who said he plans on using senior centers, local libraries and restaurants to interact with his Roxbury/Jamaica Plain/Dorchester and Fenway constituents.

“It’s a huge honor, and I’m humbled by people coming out to support not only me but the vision of people in our community working with one another to make sure the city lives up to its true potential as a destination rather than a pass through,” Jackson said.

Mills, the son of disgraced ex-state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, reportedly offered congratulations to Jackson with a handshake and hug. Mills could not be reached for comment.

Jackson will be sworn in as councilor within the next two weeks.

The city councilor said he plans to continue to thank voters today with a possible “stand-out” in Roxbury’s Grove Hall.

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