When asked by my editor at The Citizen to contribute to the Your Vote Matters campaign for the upcoming municipal election in Prince George on November 15, it occurred to me that I have never, in my life, voted in a municipal election.
I am embarrassed by this and as a citizen of this country, I should know better.
I very clearly remember the first time that I voted. I had just turned 18 and, if I remember correctly, it was either the Liberals last term in office or the Conservatives first turn at the helm of the country. I remember lining up and being exceptionally smug at my own awesomeness by contributing to the democratic process and performing my civic duty. As a citizen of Canada, you really only have three jobs: 1) Don`t break the law 2) Serve on a jury when called to do so (I`m still waiting) and 3) Vote.
I remember deciding that I was going to vote with my conscience and vote Green party. Not because I was a hippie but because I liked the focus on the environment and I didn`t feel connected to any of the old men in suits who were auditioning to run the country. That was what I had intended anyway. What actually happened is that I got behind the voting booth (or cardboard display board balanced on a folding table for those of you who have never voted) and I totally panicked. I thought, ``What am I doing? I need to strategically vote in my district for someone who has a chance of winning. I should vote Liberal! I should vote NDP! I should vote for the independent candidate!" The end result was total panic and I don't even know who I ended up voting for. But at least I voted.
This complete and total voting panic will follow me throughout my voting career of federal and provincial elections. I decide who I am going to vote for and then I panic when faced with the sheer enormity of what I am actually doing. One vote matters. My vote matters. Your vote matters.
My high school history teacher told me that Hitler was voted in as leader of his party by only one vote. And although I have not verified the source of that information, I think that it is safe to say that one swing vote was fairly significant.
If you are like me and have never voted in a municipal election before but have diligently voted in provincial and federal elections, let's change that on November 15. I think that a reason that voter turnout for municipal elections are low is the volume of candidates for council positions and trustees is overwhelming. Making my vote count this year will involve some research and a post-it note with the candidates' names that I want to vote for. Maybe it will eliminate my voting panic in the cardboard box.
