Raymond J. Kartwicki describes himself as a steadfast Democrat. He will be voting for Vice President Al Gore '69 in the upcoming presidential election and he says he eventually plans to work in public policy.

Like many new Cantabrigians, Kartwicki--a resident at Cambridge Hospital--works long hours. Like many skilled professionals and graduate students drawn to the city, he only plans to live here for a few years. And like most homeowners, he thinks life in Cambridge could be improved.

But for the past year that he has lived in the city, Kartwicki has not voted or been involved in local politics--and plans to stay on the sidelines in the future.

"Knowing that I won't be here for more than a few years after my schooling, [local politics] seems less important," Kartwicki says.

As one of the Cambridge's ever-increasing number of transient residents, Kartwicki represents a part of Cambridge's changing political landscape--a demographic change that has been accelerated by the end of rent control in 1995 and the economic boom of the past decade.

In the past five years, the median family income in the Boston area has increased by 23 percent. The cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Cambridge has gone up by more than 50 percent. And--mirroring the national trend--voters have turned out in consistently lower numbers for local elections.

But while increased affluence will not threaten Cambridge's strong Democratic leanings, city officials, new residents and urban analysts say the city's classically engaged Democratic voters have been replaced by politically apathetic citizens.

And not only are citizens not voting--the Sept. 19th primary had a record-low turnout of 7 percent--but they have less reason to go to the polls.