Where have all the candidates gone?
With the municipal elections looming, our communities deserve a choice at the polls
Last Monday, while many people were donning green shirts and sitting down to a meal of Irish Stew, the folks at Elections New Brunswick had their minds on bigger things, as the nomination process was opened for the May 12 municipal elections.
In just under two months, we will head to the polling booths to elect the people who will make most of our major decisions - mayors, council members and education councillors. in some communities, however, that decision may be a little too easy.
There has been a noticeable decline in the number of people willing to take up the challenge of a four-year term in municipal office. While some areas, like Moncton's Ward 2, have seen numerous declarations of intent, other areas have not been so fortunate.
Potential candidates will have four weeks to file their nomination papers with the Municipal Returning Officer, and the process is not as difficult as it may seem.
Nomination papers are available online at the Service New Brunswick website, and require just 10 signatures of nominators, plus a witness. The form itself (including space for the nominators) is a mere two pages long.
To qualify as a candidate, you need only be a Canadian citizen over 18 years old who has lived in the municipality in which you are seeking to run for six months or more.
One of the cornerstones of our democratic society is the right to choose the people who will lead our communities. While municipal politics may seem less glamorous than the provincial or federal race, our mayors, town councillors and district education council have the opportunity to make the most visible changes in our day-to-day lives.
Most people believe that those who do not vote have no place complaining about the outcome of an election. Take that responsibility one step further, and ask yourself if we have any place to complain about the lack of candidates if we are unwilling to throw in the hat ourselves.
Not everyone in the community is able to enter the political arena, but each of us knows someone who could. Make it a point to support that person this month, whether by signing their nomination papers or simply encouraging to fill them out.
You'll see the results of that support on May 12, when we each have a full slate of candidates from which to choose.
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
