PETERS: Candidates for Kamloops city hall need to move beyond the oft-repeated tropes

There are four months to go and we’re sure to see plenty more come out of the woodwork before too long.

Typically, we have a few dozen residents let their names stand every year and that can present a big challenge for them – and for voters.

All candidates will need to find some way to distinguish themselves from the pack.

So far, we’re hearing a lot of folks who are checking the same boxes.

Hard-working? Check.

Love Kamloops? Check.

Want to control spending? Check.

Concerned about street disorder and safety? Check.

Promising to end dysfunction in city hall? Double check.

All of those priorities will hold broad appeal – and many voters will need to hear them in order to be swayed.

But if candidates’ platforms don’t extend meaningfully beyond those few bullet points, they will end up blending into the background.

The candidates who have the best chance at success will present something different, something over and above the common tropes we’ve heard repeated thus far.

Perhaps a wider set of priorities might work. Maybe a more specific plan of attack on safety and council unity than vague platitudes will be effective. Or a candidate could find a very unique idea no one else is talking about.

Whatever the case, there is a formula for success and there is a formula for finishing 18th on election night.

The best candidates will be the ones who set themselves apart from the crowd and capture voters’ imaginations in a way that sticks with them when they cast their ballots.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by James Peters

PETERS: Candidates for Kamloops city hall need to move beyond the oft-repeated tropes

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