Hayes doesn’t have a mandate to govern

Mrs. Mulder’s supporters and the Daily Herald Editorial Board can breathe a sigh of relief on the near hereditary election of Mr. Thomas Hayes to village president.

Now a reality check is in order. Mr. Hayes won the election with about 10 percent of all registered voters. Therefore, 90 percent of registered voters either did not vote or voted against Mr. Hayes.

Thanks to a three-way race Mr. Hayes only carried 46 percent of the low voter turnout. In a more democracy-friendly environment this result would have triggered a runoff election between Mr. Hayes and Mr. Drake. Mr. Drake, a newcomer to the local scene, came surprising close to defeating the political veteran Mr. Hayes.

Mr. Hayes victory can hardly be considered a mandate for any past agenda from Village Hall. He said he is “humbled by the confidence the community has shown.” He should use this humility to understand that his leadership is granted without majority consensus. Mr. Hayes’ challenge is to govern knowing that most residents did not vote for him.

Keith A. Moens

Arlington Heights