The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
New diversity in Conn. towns raises questions
A couple of weeks back, an article addressed West Haven’s latest census, and the data revealed more Black and Latino residents than a decade earlier. It shouldn’t be so surprising because adjacent New Haven has become more heterogeneous, as well. In fact, New Haven County has many towns and cities where residents reflect an increasingly diverse Connecticut. But how will these municipalities reflect their racial realities in public office?
West Haven is now almost 24 percent Latino (18 percent in 2010), almost 21 percent Black (18 percent in 2010) and nearly 47 percent White. In 2010, the white population was 10 percent higher, meaning that West Haven saw an increase in Latino and Black residents even though the overall population number remained largely unchanged at about 55,500. Having the conveniences and affordability of a small city can make West Haven attractive to a variety of residents. Having access to a MetroNorth train station and I-95 also helps.
Similarly, adjacent New Haven is now over 30 percent Latino (27 percent in 2010), 30 percent Black (33 percent in 2010) and 28 percent white (almost 32 percent in 2010). The decline in white residents but also younger New Haveners has been an ongoing trend in Connecticut. But New Haven was dubbed in 2018 one of the most diverse cities in the United States by WalletHub. And FiveThirtyEight found that the New Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area to be the most reflective of the most “normal America.”
Nearby municipalities, like North Haven and Milford, also saw Black, Latino and Asian populations increase. Overall, New Haven County is experiencing a diverse effect, and by the next census, we may see an even more heterogeneous population.
But how will this diversity translate into local politics?
Often, population trends take years to see an actual impact on local government. Political scientists call this process political incorporation — when public officials mirror their population’s diverse communities. Underrepresented candidates and voters may initially engage in local civic organizations and political party committees, for example. Then they would try for elected office or appointed positions locally. Ideally, appointed and elected officeholders can reflect their diverse constituencies. Officials might find pathways to engage in coalitionbuilding politics — or to work together to address short-term and long-term issues.
But many voters are hesitant to elect someone who is not from their own background. Keith Reeves’ book “Voting Hopes or Fears?” addresses this very issue and concludes that “aspiring black candidates who must garner the support of white voters are not afforded an equal opportunity to compete for elected office, especially against the backdrop of racially charged campaign environments.”
But once in office, will a candidate address community issues according to his or her race?
There has been much research on representative politics, particularly at the local level. Northeast states, especially compared to West Coast states, lag in political representation on community issues like public safety, education and economic development. This is partly due to longstanding racial and ethnic distrust among residents and politicians. And interestingly, many localities may elect diverse candidates, but few officials are responsive to community issues.
One case study on political responsiveness is Peter Burns’ book, “Electoral Politics Is Not Enough,” on Bridgeport and Stamford. His research is based on Rufus Browning, Dale Rogers Marshall and David Tabb’s work on California cities. These books offer some insight on political incorporation, political responsiveness and coalition building between politicians and constituents. As someone who studies local politics, I find that many Connecticut municipalities lack in these political areas while others, like West Haven, are on the cusp of modern or reformoriented local politics because of their diverse populations.
As an early snapshot of Latino local politics in West Haven, Victor Boras won the Democratic Party primary election last month for city council — and did so without being on Mayor Nancy Rossi’s slate. Maybe West Haven is an early wake-up call to public officials and political party officials across New Haven County and Connecticut.