I liked your headline on “Why don’t people vote in municipal elections,” it covered the problem well.
However there’s more to the “my vote doesn’t matter” excuse.
I watched some new voters and saw their frustration after they voted – the candidate they wanted on council wasn’t elected.
I asked about their ballot – they had voted for their choice candidate and then placed five more X’s as allowed. I pointed out they had just voted against their candidate five times.
They had voted for familiar names.
And because almost every voter places six X’s we get the same old familiar names elected year after year.
And we don’t elect qualified new candidates most of which never run again.
As part of the effort to get more voters out I suggest pointing out to voters the value of a vote and not to cancel it with a casual vote for some old, familiar name.
I’ll be voting for one council candidate only to make my vote count.
John Gornall
Campbell River