IU junior runs for city clerk

Ever since the 1992 presidential election -- when he was in fourth grade --Matt Stevenson has been captivated by politics. \n"I always wanted to stay up and watch Ross Perot and the paid advertisements he had on during prime time," Stevenson said. "His little bar graphs, and his pointer, I didn't understand hardly anything he was talking about, but it was really fascinating for me to watch."\nCurrently an IU junior, Stevenson has come a long way. This fall, he is running for political office himself, as the Republican candidate for Bloomington city clerk against incumbent democrat Regina Moore.\nA history and secondary education double major from Plainfield, Ind., Stevenson hopes to one day teach high school history, government and economics. His own high school history teacher, Chris Cavanaugh, who is Indiana state Rep. Steve Buyer's cousin, gave Stevenson his first opportunity in politics. He set Stevenson up to work for Buyer's 2001 campaign. After the campaign was over, Stevenson wanted to become involved with politics on campus. He joined the IU College Republicans, serving as the group's treasurer. \nThrough his involvement with the IU College Republicans, Stevenson was introduced to Bloomington city council members Jason Banach and David Sabbagh, who discussed with him how they thought students should be more involved in city politics. Stevenson said when he learned the only requirements to be clerk were to be 18 years of age or over and to have lived in Bloomington for a minimum of one year, he thought he could fill the role. \nStevenson said he believes a student is one of the most qualified people for the job of city clerk.\n"I sit in boring lectures everyday and take notes, surely I can sit in boring meetings everyday and take notes," Stevenson said, laughing.\nThe job of city clerk is largely an administrative position. Stevenson said the job requires four to five hours a day of bookkeeping and note-taking. According to Bloomington's Web site, the clerk is in charge of maintaining the official record of the council and Bloomington Municipal Code, including keeping track of which council members vote for and against every measure. \nIn addition, the city clerk serves as the Parking Ticket Appeals Hearing Officer, with the power to appeal any city parking ticket. \nFixing the parking situation is one of Stevenson's main objectives. \n"I'm proposing that if I'm clerk, we will forgive all parking tickets for anybody until the city and the University come together to discuss the issue of student parking," Stevenson said. "There are several serious problems with student parking right now and the city just ignores us because we don't do anything; we don't vote." \nHe specifically cited the short seven day time period in which to mail in city parking tickets, the low number of city and University parking permits allowed to residents of greek housing on Third Street and the recent restrictions on the Park and Ride system at Bryan Park. \nJunior Justin Long has known Stevenson since sixth grade. They were roommates for their first two years of college, and this year they share a suite in Willkie Quad. Long said Stevenson would be good for the clerk position because he is easy to get along with and able to speak his mind. Long said Stevenson will improve the quality of city politics if elected. \n"For somebody who is so interested in politics, he's abnormally honest," Long said. "He stands for what he believes in."\nStevenson has been busy marketing his ideas to his fellow students, and registering them to vote. He estimates that he and his fellow IU College Republicans have registered about 1,500 students this fall. Stevenson has also gone outside of the IU community into Bloomington, but said he often has better results with students than with non-student city residents. \n"There are some people in the community that are kind of leery when I say I'm a student that's running, and that's part of the problem," Stevenson said. "They don't view students as anything other than party-going drunks. They don't see us as being responsible or deserving of a role in city government, so that's something I want to change."\nChris Smith, Republican candidate for city council in District 6, has known Stevenson since last spring and said Stevenson is very dedicated to running and would be equally dedicated to his position if elected.\n"If Matt is elected, it'll mean great things for students in many different ways," Smith said. "He would have great access to all people that run the city."\nThat access to the inner workings of Bloomington city government is what Stevenson said he's counting on. \n"I want to be a voice for the students. We need somebody at city hall who is constantly in contact with the mayor and with the council members, so when issues come up we can get a good student perspective, which is something right now that they usually don't take into consideration at all," Stevenson said.\nIf elected city clerk, Stevenson's term would start in January. He said he would begin going to school part-time in order to fully balance his coursework with his many obligations, which include playing trumpet for the Marching Hundred and basketball pep band and serving on Union Board.\nIf he doesn't win, Stevenson said he considers just getting students interested in local politics an accomplishment. \n"What we're trying to do is get students involved in the government so hopefully, if I win or lose, we'll have a big student turnout that'll hopefully raise some eyebrows at city hall," he said. "It's only a matter of time that there will be students in the city government and hopefully it'll be a permanent thing."\n -- Contact staff writer Jenny Viviano at jviviano@indiana.edu.