Ralph! Ralph! to all. Citywide elections are held Nov. 6. Can we make dog-loving voices heard by the candidates? What about a cambridgedog questionnaire emailed PDQ to municipal candidates? Candidate Craig Kelley’s 9/07 dog update email to constituents states how seriously the council is now taking dog issues. As of Sept07 the Water Dept website continues to post Medallion requirements under “Dog Rules and Regulations at Fresh Pond Reservation".

I offer to work on drafting a Cambridge dog-issues questionnaire. Anyone else interested in dogs and city Councilors 08-10? http://www.somevilledog.org circulated a questionnaire (see below) to Somerville candidates.

Candidate Robert Winter has a great info website on the 2007 candidates, the voting process in Cambridge, etc.: http://vote.rwinters.com/

Somervilledog’s elections email also included a take-action message for subscribers:
“What about the ten (out of 17) candidates running for Alderman who have not yet responded to the questionnaire? If you want to know what they think about open space for all residents, call them and ask them! Or they may submit their response to the questionnaire. It's not too late: the Municipal Elections are not until November... Contact information for all candidates is included on the candidate information page on our website. To find out where you vote, enter your address in the address look-up form on the City website. The City of Somerville Election Department allows voters to bring our dogs with us to the polls: dogs must be on leash, remain close to their companions at all times and must not bother other people. Paws to vote!”
-- SOMERVILLE QUESTIONNAIRE EXTRACT
Questions are below. Replies are posted on Somervilledog.com.

Questionnaire on Dogs for Candidates, 2007 Somerville Municipal Elections

Somerville Dog Owners Group promoting responsible dog ownership, safe and legal options for off-leash recreation and the equitable distribution of open space in Somerville, MA.

Return to: Somerville Dog Owners Group P.O. Box 63 Somerville, MA 02143; somdog@somervilledog.com

Candidate Name:
Address:
Phone:
e-mail:
Candidate website:

Office for which you are seeking election:

1. Tell us about your experiences as a resident at our municipal parks. What parks do you visit, how often, what do you do there when you visit?

2. Somerville has just over two (2) acres of open space for every thousand residents. We are the most densely populated city in the Commonwealth. ... What will you do in the upcoming term to increase the area of open space per capita in Somerville?

3. Despite recent improvements, ... families with dogs remain underserved by Somerville’s open spaces, ... What opportunities will you create to improve access for families with dogs to open space?

4. The Somerville Dog Owners Group has been delighted to see improvements in recent years in the City’s Animal Control Department and in the enforcement of municipal ordinances pertaining to animals, including the leash law and the “pooper-scooper” law. What initiatives would you undertake to further improve Animal Control in Somerville?

5. Do you own a dog or dogs?

6. If you are a dog owner, tell us about your dog(s);...[or] share some of your experiences with dogs in the community:
END SOMERVILLE DOG-CANDIDATES QUESTIONNAIRE

Wed, Oct 17: 8pm deadline to register to vote in Cambridge municipal election.
Sat, Nov 3: Election Commission office open 9am to 5pm for over-the-counter absentee voting.
Mon, Nov 5: Noon deadline to apply for absentee ballot.
Tues, Nov 6: Polls are open 7:00am until 8:00pm.