How can L.A.'s elected officials repair constituents' ill will?

WHEN compared to other democratic nations America's voting record is pretty abysmal. In modern times, we've never topped much more than 60 percent of eligible voters choosing the President. The statistics are even worse in local elections. Whereas pundits may argue this phenomenon is the result of voter apathy, I submit the blame falls squarely with politicians' dreadful public relations records.

Last autumn, I attended my neighborhood homeowner association's annual meeting, where many of the people present had hoped to discuss several issues with Jack Weiss, our councilmember. At the time, however, he was traveling with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and in his place had sent a newly hired aide. Out of frustration, many of my neighbors and I gave the aide quite an earful--a baptism by fire if you will.

In a subsequent conversation with this aide, I apologized for my rude behavior that night and suggested the Mr. Weiss might be well served to host regular meetings in various neighborhoods within his district. I was surprised to hear these meetings "just aren't done in L.A." and that the councilmember's office saw little need or reward to proactively start reaching out to constituents in this way.

Councilmember Weiss certainly doesn't have a monopoly on constituent frustration. Nor are poor public relations practices the sole purview of city officials. Take for example, my congresswoman, Jane Harman, from whom I have waited more than six months for a response to an inquiry so important to my neighbors and me that I have written her twice about it.

From experience

Compare these experiences with my first foray into political public relations. In 1984, I volunteered on the congressional campaign of Utah state Sen. Frances Farley, whose campaign literature--that she handed out herself while knocking on doors--listed her home telephone number and whose television ads reminded voters she was listed in "the book."

Politicians' public relations blunders extend well beyond racist slips of the tongue or extramarital affairs. On a daily basis they and their (overworked) staffs miss opportunities to build deep relationships with constituents.

So, how can L.A.'s elected officials begin to repair the damaged relationships so many of them have with their constituents?

First, answer every letter and e-mail received. Sure, they can ignore those that come in from other districts, but nothing frustrates constituents more than the feeling their elected officials don't care. A couple of interns could create and run a system to guarantee each inquiry receives a response. Elected officials are supposed to represent us, but how can they if there isn't a dialogue?

Secondly, take that idea I gave to Jack Weiss and hold district meetings. It's not a revolutionary idea--mayors, council-members, even congressional members in other places host them all the time. These meetings offer elected officials the opportunity to hear first hand the issues concerning their constituents. More importantly, it offers constituents the opportunity to be involved in their own government.

Thirdly, from those e-mails, phone messages, letters and district meetings randomly choose a few folks to call personally. Nothing tells voters that politicians care and really mean business more than personal outreach.

Entrenched incumbents

Some will argue that if we don't like our elected officials, we can vote them out of office. One needs only look at the U.S. House and Senate changing hands last November to see this is absolutely true. But one also needs to remember that an overwhelming majority of incumbents were re-elected. In 33 Senate races, 29 incumbents faced re-election, but only six lost. In the House, 95 percent of the incumbents, who ran in the general election, were re-elected. Only 23 lost, while 33 retired or lost in a primary.

In "swing" districts, it is much easier for an incumbent to lose. But those districts are few and far between. Thanks to gerrymandering and inequitable fundraising--both on federal and local levels--most elected officials have a job for life or until they are termed out. And maybe it's this job security that has caused the cavalier attitude toward constituent public relations.

I don't know if these simple activities I've suggested will help edge up voter participation, but I do know that it will help to repair the perception that elected officials don't care about their constituents.

For those who are wondering, Senator Farley lost her bid to be only the second woman to represent Utah in Congress. However, in that reddest of red states where President Ronald Reagan garnered 75 percent of the votes cast that year, Farley, a proudly liberal Democrat, lost by only approximately 500 votes out of over 250,000 cast. Certainly it had a lot to do with her intelligence, experience and campaigning. But it also had a great deal to do with her understanding of the importance of public relations.

So I'm left wondering, is there a politician in Los Angeles savvy enough and brave enough to put the public back in their public relations?

Christopher Katis is a vice president at Fourth Wall, a communications agency in Los Angeles.