Here’s a press release I received today from the Van Pech campaign:

VAN PECH MARKS END OF 2013 COUNCIL CAMPAIGN
As One Chapter Closes, a Continued Call to Action

Thank you so much for all your hard work, your dedication, and your commitment to this campaign. I know all of you didn’t do this just because I wanted to be a city councilor. You believe in the bigger cause and the bigger picture for the community and the city. You believe in the vision of a city that that’s truly representative and people truly feel connected and a part of this community.

Addressing his close friends and voters after the polls closed on the 2013 city council election, Van Pech marked the end of a unique campaign season with the same measured and sincere perspective that that defined his candidacy and inspired his supporters. Although the vote totals did not result in Pech’s election to the City Council, for the crowd at Etsogo restaurant on November 5th, the campaign represented a resounding success—with work to be done.

In a journey that began long before it officially kicked off on a hot July evening at Tepthida Khmer, Van Pech championed issues important to voters in his community—public safety, government accessibility, and neighborhoods. Unlike most candidates, Pech did not accept campaign contributions and with the support of a team of volunteers who helped spread his message in creative grassroots ways, he established himself as a respected leader in the city.

During the closing weeks, Pech almost exclusively focused outreach efforts on increasing the vote totals in lower turnout precincts throughout the city. Whether it was motivating an 18-year-old student to vote for the first time, or having volunteers make it possible for a 96-year-old woman to continue to participate in the democratic process, the Van Pech campaign never strayed from its primary objective to ensure that the people of Lowell had their voices heard.

The campaign’s efforts succeed in increasing turnout compared to the city’s preliminary election, but Van Pech and his team know their mission is far from complete. In a call to action, Pech stressed the importance of remaining civically engaged outside the two-year campaign cycle. The election may be over but the spirit of “Team Van Pech” lives on.

Whatever happens in the future, we have to keep on doing what we believe in. Whether it’s something small helping clean a park or something big like running for Senate. Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it because you don’t look a certain way or you can’t talk a certain way or act a certain way. I’m truly inspired by all of you and what we’ve done, and I really think this is only the beginning of a great, great journey, and great movement for the community.

For more information on Van Pech and the campaign, please visit www.vanpech.com