Skip to content

Rhyno: Time to vote, Red Deer

Are you fed up with all the crime in the city? Has the opioid crisis hit too close to home?
8920140_web1_Rhyno-Crystal

Are you fed up with all the crime in the city? Has the opioid crisis hit too close to home?

It’s time to make your voice heard. In fact, it’s your responsibility.

Quite frankly, not voting is a slap in the face to all those who are still fighting today for a fair and democratic society, and those who have have sacrificed their lives so you could have the basic right to vote.

I hope you have researched, asked questions and finally decided where to place your bets on election day.

In this campaign, like no recent other, candidates have been more accessible than ever before.

Thanks to Social Media, forums and the Advocate’s coverage, we have had many opportunities to learn about the candidates and their visions for the city and the local education system.

There really is no excuse for not being informed.

Eight incumbents including the mayor are seeking another term on council. We know there will be at least one new face on council. I predict one new face on council will be someone who has received some of Red Deer’s highest honours.

Name recognition and familiarly of the politicial game do well for incumbents in most elections. Don’t expect any major shake ups on council. I would be extremely surprised if more than two incumbents lost a seat. And I don’t know if I even have to say this – Tara Veer will easily be re-elected. (Sean Burke, thank you for putting your name forward. No politician should ever be acclaimed).

With that being said, is it time for new blood on council? Is it time for an overhaul?

After covering council for the Advocate for many years, I would be lying if I didn’t say I have my own bias. On Monday, I will easily cast my vote for some incumbents, and I will eagerly look to fresh faces in the list of 29 candidates.

I consider many things when deciding where to mark my ballot.

I will vote for someone who is passionate, thoughtful and open-minded. In picking my ideal slate of council candidates, I choose individuals with critical-thinking skills, transparency, and the ability to see the bigger picture. The more diverse, the better. It is in everyone’s best interest to have a council made up of differing viewpoints, backgrounds and demographic.

As well, I favour plain-talking, get-to-the point politicians. Several times during this election period, we saw a handful of candidates deflect or avoid a straight-forward question. This is one of the reasons politicians are given a bad name. We want our local politicians to be held accountable and be straight forward and honest.

Enough with the avoidance tactics and jargon. Answer the question.

Let’s not forget about the school board elections. Often these crucial campaigns are overlooked or not given the attention that they deserve by most voters.

Our public boards use provincial education funding to shape our future generations and set crucial local policies on issues such as LGBTQ rights and to offer new programming or where to build the next school.

Not only do the school board decisions affect our children’s education but the cultural, social and economic aspects in our communities.

Whether you have children or not, you should care. Over the past several weeks some voters have said the boards should be made up of parents whose children are enrolled in the school system.

I’m on the fence about this one. Like municipal councils, we need experience but we also need fresh perspectives.

In 2013, the voter turnout was 31.83 per cent, up 7.04 percentage points from the 2010 civic election. I think we can do better.

Now is our chance to decide who will make the best decisions for our schools and city.

Cast a ballot Monday to directly influence the direction of our city and in our schools over the next four years and into the future.

Remember “if you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”

Now get out and vote.

Crystal Rhyno is the managing editor of the Red Deer Advocate. She can be reached at crhyno@reddeeradvocate.com