I’m not going to tell you it’s your duty.
You’ve heard that one. You’ve heard them all, in fact, from “It’s the level of government closest to you”, to “You pay your taxes.”, “people fought for this right” and “If you want change, vote for it.”.
All true. All said a thousand times. But it hasn’t changed your mind in the past and I doubt it would change it today.
It says a lot about the state of mind of citizens when most are deciding not to partake in our democratic processes. See, most of us stayed home in the 2022 municipal election. Fewer than 38 per cent of eligible Cornwall voters cast a ballot that year. That’s 10,166 people, down from 12,488 in 2018 and 14,000 in 2014.
The practical excuses are gone
For years, some of the reasons not to vote were at least partly practical. Couldn’t get off work. No car. Sick kid. Snowstorm. Out of town. Bad knee.
This year, for the first time, Cornwall is offering online voting in a municipal election. It opened October 12 at 8 a.m. and stays open until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Monday, October 26.
You literally can vote from anywhere. From your couch. In your pyjamas. On your phone, between loads of laundry. In the parking lot during your kid’s hockey practice… It takes less time to vote than scrolling past one heated election thread on Facebook, where you get lost in the comments, and will accomplish a lot more.
Having eliminated those excuses, what’s left are the real ones. Let’s talk about those.
“I don’t know enough about the candidates.”
That’s the most honest excuse there is. But it is an excuse.
Every media outlet in this City has gone out of its way to bring you answers to all the tough questions. Here, at the Seeker, we went above and beyond. We published questionnaires, we’ve hosted podcasts, we’ve livestreamed debates.
Despite all our efforts, a handful of candidates have not answered any of the questionnaires and have not shown up at debates, and that’s disappointing. But, you can call or email the candidates directly. We published the full contact list in August. Most of them will be thrilled you asked.
“My vote won’t change anything.”
Here’s what nobody says out loud. Low turnout doesn’t make your vote matter less. It makes it matter more.
When barely more than one in three eligible voters decides for everyone, every ballot carries extra weight. With 26 people running for eight council seats, the gap between getting in and missing out doesn’t have to be big. In 2022, some 250 votes decided who filled the 10th spot on council.
Not voting isn’t neutral. When you stay home, you don’t cancel yourself out, you simply hand your say to the people who did show up. Their priorities become the city’s priorities.
The people who show up get listened to
Voting isn’t only about who wins on October 26. It’s about who gets paid attention to for the next four years.
Politicians at every level notice who votes. It’s not malice. It’s math. If one group shows up every time and another group doesn’t, guess whose concerns get the most attention between elections?
So when you vote, you’re not just picking names. You’re putting yourself on the radar. You’re telling whoever wins: people like me are paying attention. People like me show up.
To anyone under 30 reading this
Yes, you. I know. Municipal politics sounds like the most boring thing on earth. Zoning. Budgets. Three-hour council meetings.
But think about what you’re actually dealing with right now. Rent. Whether you can afford to live in this city at all. Whether the bus gets you to work on time. Whether there’s anything to do downtown on a Friday night. Whether there are good reasons to stay here instead of leaving.
Those things affect YOU, and every one of those gets decided, at least in part, at City Hall.
You’ve probably heard your whole life that young people don’t vote. Maybe that’s fair, maybe it isn’t. But as long as people believe it, it’s one of the reasons politicians don’t always talk to you. Prove it wrong, and watch how fast the conversation changes. There are a lot of young people running. Hear what they have to say. Does it resonate with you? Are the issues they are running on similar to the issues you’re facing? If so, show up for them…
You bank on your phone. You order dinner on your phone. You probably found this column on your phone. Now you can vote on it too.
So vote. And then go tell your friends you did. Heck, go vote in person and turn it into a tiktok! Maybe it will encourage some of your friends to vote too, and ensure we create a city that provides to YOUR needs.
A thumbs-up is not a ballot
I run a local Facebook group. I read the complaints every single day. Potholes. Taxes. Downtown. Garbage. Some are fair, some less so. And almost every one of them eventually lands on council’s table.
I’ll say this with love: commenting is not voting. A thumbs-up emoji is not a ballot. If you’ve got four years of opinions, you’ve got ten minutes for this.
Bring someone with you
Don’t just vote. Make it a thing.
Remind your mom. Text your 18-year-old about their first municipal election. Ask your neighbour if they got their voter letter. Offer someone a ride to the advance polls at Cornwall Square, open October 21 to 23 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Then tell people you did it. Peer pressure works. Use it for good!
So here’s my challenge
Not tomorrow. Not “this weekend.” Today.
Before your coffee gets cold, vote. Then tell one person you did.
Please vote.
How to vote
- Online: any time until 8 p.m. on Monday, October 26.
- In person, early: advance polls at Cornwall Square, October 21 to 23, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- In person, Election Day: Monday, October 26.
- ID, where to vote and everything else: cornwall.ca/elections
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