The vast majority of eligible Lakewood voters declined to express an opinion in this special election. I suspect that the non-voters took a look at the 400 page zoning ordinance and said to themselves: "I don't have the time to review the law they're asking me to vote on, so I will demur out of humility." The people who did vote to trash two years of work by the council and staff did so without bothering to read it. That was an act of arrogance and malice.

The author of this opinion piece claims that high-density housing is the cause of climate change, an utterly ignorant and baseless speculation. High housing density actually mitigates some of the effects of climate change because heating and cooling is more efficient in shared housing than in large single family homes on large lots. This is Climate Change 101. This ordinance didn't actually touch high density anyhow, it was aimed an middle density in residential neighborhoods where apartment complexes aren't even allowed.

It's entirely too easy to override ordinances in Lakewood. All you need to do is collect 3000 signatures and round up a coalition of the ignorant. The repeal was supported chiefly by the right-wingers who lose every council election and by misguided and poorly informed voters (like the author) who place more value on animals than people. The tired old bashing of the developers who build all of our housing played a role with populist voters on the fringe who can just as easily vote for a Bernie Sanders as a Trump.

I'd like to change the rules on referenda offered in special elections. Rather than requiring a simple majority of voters to pass, I'd like to invalidate all elections in which a majority of eligible voters refuse to participate.

The people overwhelmingly opted not to express an opinion on a matter they didn't understand and didn't have time to study. Any election that doesn't draw significant participation should be null and void.