It’s Time for Harvard To Act Local

Older Harvard graduates often find themselves involved in national political spectacles — think how Rep. Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) dominated headlines last winter for her viral questioning of then-University President Claudine Gay. But younger alumni can impact politics too: Earlier this month, Harvard J.D.-Ph.D. student Evan C. MacKay ’19, found themself making unexpected waves in local politics with their campaign for Massachusetts State Legislature.

In the weeks leading up to the Sept. 3 primary, MacKay began receiving increasing media coverage and recognition for their campaign. That swell culminated in what seemed to be a shocking victory over incumbent Marjorie Decker — but overseas, absentee and provisional ballots shifted the election back in Decker’s favor by a mere 41 votes.

MacKay’s campaign, though unsuccessful, was not only a rare display of a Harvard student’s particular attentiveness to Cambridge politics, but also the most competitive race lodged against Decker since her election to the State House in 2012.

The Boston Globe reported that only 18 out of all 200 incumbents in the Massachusetts State Legislature faced primary challengers this cycle. Before 2024, Decker had always received at least 80 percent of Cambridge’s Democratic vote in primaries.

Harvard — a notorious bastion of American political leadership — is known for its alumni influence in top-of-ticket federal politics. After all, Harvard alumni are heavily represented in congress and we have graduated more American presidents than any other institution of higher education. Though some College alumni have run for Cambridge office in recent years, no campaign has captured such municipality-wide attention as MacKay’s.

Harvard students clearly care about politics, but often neglect to engage with legislative bodies closest to them — in Cambridge City Council and Beacon Hill.

The relative success of MacKay’s campaign suggests there is a meaningful role for smart, driven Harvard students to play in local politics, by following local political news, testifying at City Council meetings, or volunteering for local candidates — as I did for MacKay.

While some undergraduates may argue that Cambridge’s political landscape will only impact their lives in insignificant ways, and only for four years, this mindset is dismissive and shortsighted.

Take for example the ongoing problem of bike lanes. Over the past several months, there have been three fatal collisions between cars and cyclists in Cambridge.

Arguably, the deaths could have been prevented by better urban planning policies determined by municipal bodies. Considering the ubiquity of bikes on Harvard’s campus, local elections and municipal budgeting directly impacts us — sometimes with life-altering consequences.

As someone that has organized in local politics for the last three years, I’ve learned that every vote, every conversation, and every flier matters. It is not only the registered in-district voters, but the residents of a community, who can help decide the final verdict of any local election.

When leading campus outreach for Evan during the last few days of their campaign, we consistently talked numbers. In the days following Sept. 3, I have found myself routinely pondering: What if just 50 more Harvard students had been registered to vote in Cambridge?

Regardless, this election is a sign that Harvard students can much more significantly influence local outcomes in our community. We must apply our political wits and skills to the issues in our legislative backyard.

Jasmine N. Wynn, Crimson Editorial editor, lives in Winthrop House. She was a volunteer organizer for Evan Mackay’s campaign.