Today is municipal election day in London. Well be voting on a new mayor, 14 city councilors, and school board trustees. As usual, Ill be out walking the streets of the city with a sign that says VOTE, but Id like to take a moment to explain why. Municipal elections usually have the lowest voter turnout. Four years ago, less than half of those eligible cast a ballot. As a result, we received the worst council ever; full of divisiveness and infighting, accompanied by a mayor with all the nuance of a sledgehammer. Of our three levels of government, municipal has the most direct impact on a citizens life *and* is the easiest for citizens to affect. There are no political parties in a city government, and so councilors are freer to vote based on their conscience, and are more accessible for your individual lobbying. The council holds the true power in a city government; a mayor is effectively just a figurehead and a meeting facilitator. The municipal government affects many aspects of your life, including land-use planning (urban sprawl or pedestrian-friendly urbanism?), transit (LTC could use some TLC amirite?), bike infrastructure (more please), and many other city services that you use daily. While I can understand the common cynical refrain that voting never changes anything on provincial or federal levels, this is different. Your vote can help to elect candidates that will take steps towards participatory democracy - better public communication of the issues at hand, and the establishment of ward councils. As a progressive, you can help ensure your city has well-funded social services and infrastructure, forward-thinking vision, and a responsible tax structure. We may not presently have the participatory structure of government wed prefer, but unless EVERYONE participates throughout the political process, indeed nothing will change. WHERE DO I VOTE? Find your polling station here: london.ca/city-hall/elections/voter-info/Pages/Where-Do-I-Vote.aspx DIDNT GET A VOTER CARD? Just bring photo ID and something that shows your address. If you dont have that, you can still make a statutory declaration. WHAT ABOUT STUDENTS? You can still vote where youre living while at school, and you should! Hint: itll make a difference in your bus service. But dont just stop at voting; become involved in your citys future! Once weve elected representatives, they need your input. Follow whats happening in your city, discuss issues with your peers, and make your views known to the representative that youve elected. Together, WE are the government of London! Please do your part!
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 09:54:01 +0000
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