IT'S all over but the recount - if there is one for the North Vancouver school trustees - and voters plumped for the status quo.
That's comforting news for almost ll of the incumbent councillors and trustees across the North Shore. The umbers would seem to imply that oters think their councils are on the right track in terms of balancing density and affordability, taxes and services.
At least, the numbers would say that if more voters had actually exercised their democratic right and also endorsed the incumbents. Almost 80 per cent of municipal voters in all three municipalities did nothing - which in political terms translates to unqualified support of what the other 20 per cent said.
Way to let someone else think for you. Didn't your parents ever ask you: "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" If your council by-default puts high rises you don't like in Ambleside, Lynn Valley or near the auto mall, whose fault will it be?
Like the district, the city vote came up a handful of percentage points from the abysmal low of three years ago. But the modest increase was more than offset by a drop in West Vancouver voting percentage to less than 24 per cent.
The lack of a mayoralty race in West Vancouver or contenders in North Vancouver with council experience do not excuse this pathetic turnout.
District of North Vancouver council has expressed some interest in looking at the possibility of Internet voting as a way of increasing participation.
In the wake of this election, the Union of B.C. Municipalities and Victoria should make this a priority.
