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I would love to know why 69% of eligible London voters don't bother to make their voices heard about how this city is run. Part of it, I believe, is not having a clear sense of what each of the Candidates actually stands for...or even recognizing their names. Our Mayor got 46% of the popular vote; in other words, fewer than 14% of eligible voters actively supported him. That's one reason the work you are doing with The Loon is so important. We need more aware and engaged voters to avoid a government that operates not for the people, but for specific interest groups, as our neighbours to the south have shown us.
There's many reasons I'm sure, but two of them come to mind for me:
1) Civics education in Ontario at least, is limited to a half credit in high school. If you ask the average voter how bills get passed, what the senate does, or even what the different levels of government are responsible for, you likely won't get the right answer. We have to educate ourselves on the subject to cover that gap.
2) first past the post. London had ranked ballots until it was prohibited by the province. I believe it gives disproportionate power to political incumbents who already have some recognition. That's very hard to overcome as a challenger, requires much more effort than an incumbent.
Great piece, Mike. Thanks to everyone at The LOON for the high quality election reporting. I have a few thoughts.
The city, mostly, took a progressive turn. Wards 1, 3 and 4 in particular (although 1 was an incumbent). The unanswerable hypothetical is would Cull have defeated Stevenson had the latter not run for mayor? Their visions for the ward and the city were substantially different. I, for one, am hopeful for this mayor and council.
Did Bronagh Joyce Morgan take votes from Josh Morgan by being the first "Morgan" on the ballot? We will never know, but the Chow confusion in Toronto makes me wonder. I follow local politics a bit more than the average voter, but not to poli-geek levels, and had never heard of the other Morgan until I read the ballot.
As a Ward 9 resident, I watched that race closely. The outcome was as I expected: Hopkins winning, but not with a plurality, while the three right of centre candidates split the vote. I was surprised, however, at how much of that vote went to one candidate. This leads me to disagree with you that the defining issue was infill housing. My sign observations during frequent travels in the ward by foot, bike, and car showed me a definite urban-rural divide, with Thomas taking the rural areas and Lambeth while Hopkins took the suburban neighbourhoods. I am prepared to bet a coffee and a muffin on that, once we see the results by polling station. (Full disclosure: I hosted Coun Hopkins on a ride-along to discuss cycling infrastructure in the ward. The three others declined.)
One thought for the Cuddy and Caranci voices that were on with Craig Needles leading up to the election: a councillor shoveling a driveway, picking up a garbage bag, or taking away an abandoned construction sign might be good politics, especially at the local levels, but it is a sign of poor government.
Finally, apropos of nothing, any politician at any level who comes to my door, or sends me something, calling me a taxpayer loses my vote 10 times out of 10. I pay taxes, a lot of taxes, but that isn't what defines me as a citizen.
I would love to know why 69% of eligible London voters don't bother to make their voices heard about how this city is run. Part of it, I believe, is not having a clear sense of what each of the Candidates actually stands for...or even recognizing their names. Our Mayor got 46% of the popular vote; in other words, fewer than 14% of eligible voters actively supported him. That's one reason the work you are doing with The Loon is so important. We need more aware and engaged voters to avoid a government that operates not for the people, but for specific interest groups, as our neighbours to the south have shown us.
There's many reasons I'm sure, but two of them come to mind for me:
1) Civics education in Ontario at least, is limited to a half credit in high school. If you ask the average voter how bills get passed, what the senate does, or even what the different levels of government are responsible for, you likely won't get the right answer. We have to educate ourselves on the subject to cover that gap.
2) first past the post. London had ranked ballots until it was prohibited by the province. I believe it gives disproportionate power to political incumbents who already have some recognition. That's very hard to overcome as a challenger, requires much more effort than an incumbent.
Great piece, Mike. Thanks to everyone at The LOON for the high quality election reporting. I have a few thoughts.
The city, mostly, took a progressive turn. Wards 1, 3 and 4 in particular (although 1 was an incumbent). The unanswerable hypothetical is would Cull have defeated Stevenson had the latter not run for mayor? Their visions for the ward and the city were substantially different. I, for one, am hopeful for this mayor and council.
Did Bronagh Joyce Morgan take votes from Josh Morgan by being the first "Morgan" on the ballot? We will never know, but the Chow confusion in Toronto makes me wonder. I follow local politics a bit more than the average voter, but not to poli-geek levels, and had never heard of the other Morgan until I read the ballot.
As a Ward 9 resident, I watched that race closely. The outcome was as I expected: Hopkins winning, but not with a plurality, while the three right of centre candidates split the vote. I was surprised, however, at how much of that vote went to one candidate. This leads me to disagree with you that the defining issue was infill housing. My sign observations during frequent travels in the ward by foot, bike, and car showed me a definite urban-rural divide, with Thomas taking the rural areas and Lambeth while Hopkins took the suburban neighbourhoods. I am prepared to bet a coffee and a muffin on that, once we see the results by polling station. (Full disclosure: I hosted Coun Hopkins on a ride-along to discuss cycling infrastructure in the ward. The three others declined.)
One thought for the Cuddy and Caranci voices that were on with Craig Needles leading up to the election: a councillor shoveling a driveway, picking up a garbage bag, or taking away an abandoned construction sign might be good politics, especially at the local levels, but it is a sign of poor government.
Finally, apropos of nothing, any politician at any level who comes to my door, or sends me something, calling me a taxpayer loses my vote 10 times out of 10. I pay taxes, a lot of taxes, but that isn't what defines me as a citizen.
Thanks for hearing me out.