It’s a trope in society. People lament the quality of our politicians broadly or claim there’s no difference between the parties. Worse, they say their vote won’t make a difference and don’t bother casting a ballot. In 2020, 46.5 per cent of eligible British Columbians didn’t exercise their right.
We’re going to let you in on a little secret. These are usually just excuses levied by people who are neglecting their civic duty to get informed. And elections have consequences – sometimes painful ones.
But, much like Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve, it’s not too late.
If you’re otherwise politically disengaged, we recognize getting up to speed on the candidates in your riding and where they stand on the issues can be a daunting task. Check out our popular candidate questionnaires and grids for all four North Shore ridings: West Vancouver-Sea to Sky; West Vancouver-Capilano; North Vancouver-Lonsdale and North Vancouver-Seymour. These are your “cheat sheets” for casting an informed vote.
Oct. 19 is Election Day, but all four North Shore ridings have advance polls that will be open until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Elections BC makes it easy to find those opportunities at wheretovote.elections.bc.ca. If you are eligible to vote but not yet registered, you can do it at the polls.
There are no excuses now.
We believe firmly that the more we, the voters, put into our political system, the more responsive it will be to us as a whole. When the ballots are counted, we want you to know you’ve made your mark. It’s another trite cliché but we’ll use it: Be the change you want to see in the world.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
