I sent out a challenge of sorts on Twitter last weekend.
“I’m donating $1 to the Food Bank for each % of eligible voters who vote in the #CampbellRiver election. Anyone wanna match me?” I said to nobody specific.
I immediately got one response from a citizen enthusiastic to help out, and over the course of the week, I re-issued my call for participants, and got a few more along the way. A fellow journalist in the lower mainland thought it was a good idea and started challenging her people, as well.
You see, the way I figure it, it’s a win-win for everyone. Actually, maybe it’s a win-win-win. I don’t know. I’m not going to count the winners in this scenario, because it’s a big number, and I’m a words guy. You help your community by voting. I’m not going to get into how becoming informed and voting in municipal elections helps your community, because I’ve already written that column, and I think it should be self-evident.
This election, however, you can also help your community in another way by voting, because the higher the percentage of people who vote, the more money will be going to the Campbell River Food Bank, who help feed hundreds of your fellow citizens and create a healthier, and therefore stronger, community.
Better yet, you can join my challenge, and help even more. You can do this by also pledging a dollar for each percentage point of the eligible voting population who votes (tell me if you’re in, either by email or on social media, because I want to publicly congratulate and thank those people later).
Or, if you prefer, you can do this by simply telling five (or 20) friends to get informed and go vote, thereby raising the total percentage of voters (assuming at least one of those friends wouldn’t have voted without your nudge) and increasing the total the Food Bank will be receiving just by raising the voter turnout.
See, if I get even ten people to match my pledge, each extra percentage of you who vote is another $10 to the food bank. We could help get those shelves and freezers stocked while encouraging political engagement!
Last municipal election, somewhere around 28 per cent of those eligible cast a ballot. It was one of the lowest turnouts on record. If I get 10 people to join my pledge, and we can get that number up to 40 per cent, that’s $400 for the food bank.
It might not sound like a lot, but it’s a good thing. And hey, maybe I get 50 people to match my pledge. That would make it $2000 (based on my hypothetical 40 per cent turnout).
Maybe I get 100 people to match my pledge, and we get it up to 47 per cent!
That’s, like, a billion dollars! In any case, just go vote. Drag someone with you. Tell them if they vote they’re helping feed people. And let me know if you want in (miked@campbellrivermirror.com or @PaperguyDavies on Twitter).