While politicians and pundits have for months been concentrating on the upcoming civic elections across B.C., the majority of would-be voters are just starting to show an interest, only now that the nominations are filed.
This, traditionally, bodes well for incumbents, who tend to benefit from name recognition.
Perhaps it’s the political revolution that has swept western democracies these past two or three years, or perhaps its the cacophony we’ve been hearing from a suddenly-divided Surrey council at the tail end of two single-party sweeps over the past seven years, but there is a growing sentiment online that name recognition might actually not be a good thing this go-round. At the least, the few negatives of seeking re-election are certainly rising to the fore.
In Surrey, the recent divide between the nine current council members – who have for two terms been perceived by voters as a single voting bloc – has certainly drawn attention. An article published in Peace Arch News one week ago, headlined ‘Why we left Surrey First’, did neither side of the division much good, in terms of gaining voter confidence.
READ: ‘Why we left Surrey First’, Sept. 11.
Non-partisan readers have been left wondering why we are only hearing divergent opinions now. Isn’t that why most civic meetings must be held in public, so that we hear full and open discussion?
Instead, the current Surrey council appears to have ruled the city in a vacuum, with public participation treated as merely a legal responsibility.
In White Rock, where a single party has held four votes on a seven-person council this past term, there certainly has been more opportunity for open debate. Unfortunately, the level of discourse has been less constructive than ideal, with the two independent councillors being – and allowing themselves to be – mostly sidelined, and comments from an independent mayor reading as though issues had already been discussed and decided with the four-person majority behind closed doors.
Adding to the incumbents’ trials are building sites dotting the landscapes of both cities – particularly White Rock, where constructions reflect only a glimmering of the promised beauty.
Name recognition only gets the incumbents being talked about. What is being said, this time around, might affect outcome for years to come.