And so it ends.
The 2018 municipal election campaign wraps up today. The all-candidate forums are all done but the candidates will be out door knocking and/or canvassing at various public places today, hoping to land those last votes that could make the difference between getting elected and wondering why they lost.
It's important to remember that some candidates run for office knowing there's a snowball's chance in Hell they will be elected but they enter the race anyway, just to raise public awareness of an important but neglected issue. Some run just for the opportunity to hold incumbent candidates accountable.
From that standpoint, Willy Enns was the big winner of the local campaign.
He put up no signs, took out no advertising and only showed up to half of the all-candidate forums but his last-minute entry into the mayoral race forced Lyn Hall to campaign as seriously as he did four years ago - minus the phone room, of course - against a far more politically formidable candidate.
Hall showed up to all of the events, answered questions, spoke at length about his accomplishments during the last four years and his vision of the city for the next four.
If Enns hadn't submitted his nomination papers, Hall wouldn't have had to do any of that and Prince George voters would be poorer for it.
Democracy was served and for that, Enns deserves heartfelt thanks, regardless of how many votes he receives Saturday.
And that thanks extends to all of the candidates for mayor, city council, school board and regional district. For anyone who thinks that people just enter politics - especially local politics - to line their pockets or raise taxes or look after their neighbourhoods at the expense of others, please reexamine your pathetic cynicism.
To do so, imagine looking down at a ballot and seeing your name on it. Imagine thousands of your fellow local residents looking at your name on a piece of paper identical to yours.
Frightened by that thought? You should be. They are about to pass judgment on you for all to see. Imagine people filling in the circle next to your name because they believe in you, they believe you reflect the best this community has to offer, they believe your intelligence and wisdom will allow you to make difficult decisions on their behalf.
Imagine how proud you would be to receive that kind of public validation.
Now imagine people passing your name, choosing other names on the ballot because they believe you don't have what it takes, that you are unworthy of representing them. Imagine how humiliated you would feel.
Imagine the next time you would see your printed name, when the results are released after the polls are closed.
Imagine seeing that you've been elected, defeating candidates you got to know on the campaign trail and who made you feel small at times with their knowledge of policy and issues, their clever answers to tough questions, their sense of humour, their charisma and their ease with public speaking.
Imagine how gratified you'd feel.
Imagine seeing that you've been elected and wondering about those thousands of votes you received from people you don't know and have probably never met.
Imagine how humbled you'd feel that they picked you and now you have the next four years to prove to them that their confidence in you wasn't misplaced.
Imagine seeing that you haven't been elected and the number of votes you received is embarrassingly low. Imagine how you would question yourself and your beliefs.
When you go to vote tomorrow, please look at all of the names on the ballot and know that each person behind those names is going to go through some of those emotions on Saturday night, after the polls close and the results are announced.
Tomorrow is your day, Prince George and surrounding area, to choose as you see fit among some good people, caring individuals devoted to their community, devoted to you, even though they probably have never met you.
Let that sentiment guide your choices and know that no matter what, your choices are yours and no else's and they are most certainly the right ones.
-- Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout
