Most seats on the top elective bodies in Springfield and Holyoke will be held next year by people whose race and ethnicity mirrors those of a majority of residents.

That’s a victory for representative democracy and came after long efforts, including court fights, to remove barriers to office.

In two neighboring communities, the quest to achieve the same level of representation is a work in progress, as reporter Namu Sampath explained in a story Sunday.

Since that article appeared, we’ve heard from people who saw the story as racially divisive, “stirring up racism,” as a reader posted online. “Why does it matter?” one asked. “So what,” said another. “Who cares?”

Those questions were answered in the story by some of the candidates who have stepped up to represent their communities, inc

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