The good news and bad news in a democracy is that every vote counts, so ones cast by informed and thoughtful voters carry no more weight than those selected by those who throw the proverbial dart. Perhaps voters will be less cavalier in their candidate selection these days given how things are working out in other jurisdictions.
There are many times when we should all do some homework, even when we think it doesn’t really matter. In the next few weeks we can remain passive, assume our vote doesn’t matter and let our neighbours decide who will run our municipality for the next four years. Or we can get engaged, asked some questions and find a candidate who represents our interests. The decisions these officials make will affect our pocketbooks, our landscape and our quality of life. Let’s take the time to learn which candidates share our vision of the future of our community. It will be worth the effort.
At least the trend in our township is increasing voter turnout. In 2014 almost half of eligible voters made the effort up from 43%, perhaps because they could do so without leaving their homes. For those who prefer some support, polling stations will be set up in the municipal office during office hours starting at 10 am on October 9th until the election deadline, with other locations on Election Day at the Millbrook and at Springdale manors. For full details, review the letter from the municipality. KG
