Some see racial divide on council

The ''Vota Latino" campaign launched by local Spanish-language media was supported by the three Latino candidates for councilor at-large: Marcos A. Devers, Israel Reyes, and Barbara Gonzalez. Critics, however, claimed that by supporting the campaign, the three candidates were urging Lawrence Latinos, who make up more than 60 percent of the population, to vote only for Latino candidates in the Nov. 4 general election.

Now as the council prepares to elect its president and vice president at Friday's inauguration, some councilors argue that racial tension could exist among the body of four Latinos and five non-Latinos and could affect who gets elected to the top positions. But other councilors deny that there is racial tension on the council and say that such talk is not the way to start the new year.

Devers, the council's current president, said the controversy surrounding the Vota Latino campaign grew out of a misunderstanding among those who translated the phrase as ''Vote Latino" and not as its intended translation of ''Latino, Get Out and Vote." (The Spanish wording allows for both translations.) Devers, who was reelected to the council, defended his efforts to encourage Latinos, who often have low turnout, to vote.

''It has a double standard, like, 'to gain control, vote Latino.' It's confusing, but there's no doubt that Latinos need to come out and vote," Devers said. ''I supported the campaign so that more Latinos could come out and vote, not with the intention that they should only vote for Latino candidates."

Devers said he has always been wary of saying there is a racial divide on the council because it ''connotes a negative perception." With that, Devers, who was to run for council president against current Vice President Patrick J. Blanchette, announced Monday that he would not seek reelection to that post. Devers said it was a personal decision, but added that it will be better for the council to have a new leader.

''I aspired to run, but I thought better of it and I think it's the best decision. . . . I have pondered it, and I hope that there is more harmony, no divisions, and more consensus among us," Devers said. ''It's going to be healthier [for the council] that I'm not president. . . . I want to step aside from the president's duties, continue to do my work as a councilor, and focus on my future."

His future, as Devers publicly announced the day Mayor Michael J. Sullivan was elected two years ago, will include a run for mayor.

District C Councilor Nilka I. Alvarez-Rodriguez, who believes there is racial tension in the council, said Devers's decision not to run for president was a smart one. Alvarez-Rodriguez added that with the Vota Latino controversy lingering, Devers could have faced a backlash and lost the position he has held for two years, which could have hurt his impending mayoral run.

''He may have in fact done the right thing as to not lose any credibility at all," Alvarez-Rodriguez said.

Alvarez-Rodriguez, who intends to run and possibly become the first female council vice president, said she was erroneously tied into the Vota Latino campaign and she is concerned that will affect her chances of being elected.

''I was told by one councilor, whom I will not name, one of the things he told me was, 'You're a great councilor, you shouldn't be vice president because that'll ruin that.' That's the lamest thing. How do you justify not voting for me [for vice president] and voting for someone who didn't even ask you for your vote other than you have issues with me being a Latina?" Alvarez-Rodriguez said.

''In my district, I've been able to work with people across all nationalities, colors, and income levels," she said.

''These people don't see me that way, as a Latina, just as a person who gets things done. . . . That's why it's so disappointing that people I've worked with think that I would be a part of anything that would create divisions between Latinos and non-Latinos."

Racial tensions within the council are unheard of, said Blanchette, who added that the Vota Latino campaign is not ''much of an issue."

''I don't feel that there's a racial issue. I don't see that with this new council [coming in January]. I'm actually excited about it. I think we have a really diverse council," Blanchette said, adding that now that Devers is not running for president, he would try to seek Devers's vote. ''We are members of a team, that's the attitude that we should take after. . . . I don't feel, see, or hear that there's a racial divide. It shouldn't be an issue."

Gilbert Frechette, who will run against Alvarez-Rodriguez for vice president, also said talk of racial divisions has not come up with the entire council, but that issues ''seem to be coming up" to the surface. However, he added that for him, race is not an issue.

''I tried not to get involved with [the Vota Latino discussions] because I supported Marcos when he ran the last time, and my vote has nothing to do with nationalities or race," Frechette said. ''My experience in the council should be a benefit, and some of the ideas I have should benefit the council as a whole and has nothing to do with race or agenda."

Newly elected District B Councilor Carlos D. Matos said that as he takes on his new role next month, he hopes ''that there isn't a racial division amongst the councilors."

''The numbers show that Latinos don't usually vote, and people tried to help by starting the [Vota Latino] campaign," said Matos, who, upon hearing the news that Devers would not seek the president's seat announced that he would go after the position. No other councilors so far have said they will run for the presidency.

Katheleen Conti can be reached at kconti@globe.com.