KAMLOOPS — SO HOW TO DECIDE who to vote for in Saturday’s civic election?
A lot goes on behind the scenes that affects the outcome. Door knocking, for example, is one of the most effective campaigning techniques and it tends to be done quietly, almost invisibly.
But there’s much to be said for standing up and being counted for all to see. When sorting through the list, ask yourself who among the candidates has shown up, figuratively and literally.
Because not all of them have. Not every candidate has attended all the election forums or has answered all the questionnaires and interviews.
Which ones have been on the roadsides waving at traffic, on the sidewalks handing out brochures, on radio, TV and social media telling us why they deserve our vote? And, yes, planted election signs?
You might think we don’t learn much from those things, but all of them tell us something about the commitment of candidates to the process and the depth of their determination to serve us as our representatives. Some candidates can raise more money for their campaigns than others, but the ones who want it most work their butts off.
They show up. They put themselves out there. Answering questions about policies and platforms is a lot tougher than demanding answers as taxpayers, and some people are better at it than others. Those are the ones we want, the ones with ideas, yes, but also the ones who raise their hands, not the timid ones, not the ones who phone it in.
Incumbents bring experience, but what’s the quality of that experience? Has the incumbent reached out to the public between elections, listened, taken a full part in debates around the council table? Do we know what that person stands for?
One more thing: Sun Rivers, you don’t vote in Kamloops but you do have a vote for a school trustee seat. Check out the School District 73 website for details.
See you at the polls.
I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.
