Campaign races for local governments and school boards are tightening across the province as voters spend the last couple days figuring out which candidates best represent their views.
Local voters will decide who will sit at the City of Powell River Council table, on qathet Regional District’s board and represent Powell River Board of Education. This local layer of elected officials often has the largest impact on the lives and well-being of local residents.
These are the people who are responsible for the roads, parks, sewers, garbage and recycling collection, to name a few, in the city and regional district, and goings on in classrooms throughout School District 47.
Everyone who chooses to vote has their own reason for doing so, whether it’s to ensure the path remains the same, or similar, or because they feel it’s time for a new face or direction.
Those who choose not to vote may have a myriad of reasons for staying on the sidelines, whether it’s apathy, a lack of trust in the system, or not being able to find a candidate who fits their ideals. The latter seems unlikely with the choices available this time around in several races, including for City of Powell River Council, where 18 people covet six seats and three more are vying for the mayorship.
To each their own. Everyone is entitled to an opinion in a democracy, whether they cast a ballot or not.
Here’s hoping everyone who voted in 2018 will make their marks again in 2022, and that the non-voters from back then, or those who weren’t of age yet, will be in line at the polls this time around to make their presence felt where it counts most, in the ballot box.
Municipal election day is tomorrow, Saturday, October 15. Have you made your decisions yet?
Read all Peak election coverage at prpeak.com/2022-civic-election.
