In the fall of 1988 I became a politician, with all the negative baggage it carries. "No, wait," I said "I'm not a politician, I'm just very political."
Offering your services for local government is not something reserved for the politicians. I think average people have to be encouraged to run for local politics in order for our communities to utilize the creative ideas and energy of a broader cross section of the public. The challenges facing our communities demand that all of us take more responsibility. One important avenue is through our municipal councils.
Municipal politics do not openly involve political parties. Personally I feel the parties have far too much control of our electoral process, with the exception of municipal elections. Despite the fact that most municipal politicians belong to a party all would maintain that their party affiliation does not sway their decision making. That's certainly open for debate, but party control is very much diminished at the municipal level. The possibility of being elected without belonging to a party is then much higher.
Elections are like windows of opportunity, providing you with a reason to knock on doors and talk about community issues at a time when the public is attentive. Seeds can be planted which may only bear fruit at a much later date. My number one goal in any election is to raise the discussion, get people interested. In municipal elections less than one half of eligible voters cast a ballot. Getting more people out to the polls can win elections.
Community government can appear petty and often looks like it's going no where fast. Council meetings can be highly dysfunctional. Controversial issues such as garbage often proceed painfully slowly. But there is also an opportunity at the local level to involve more people's ideas in the discussion. Elected councillors could become facilitators of a process which includes the public. Participatory democracy might begin to replace the representative style (old boy's club) democracy we now suffer under.
Participatory democracy could be the vehicle for reclaiming more control of our political institutions at all levels of government. Imagine the impact of a majority of community members vocally on side with their local government, demanding input to provincial government decision making which is impacting their lives. We could empower local government to the point where we actually have some control over decisions made in Halifax.
The timing of municipal elections is fixed every four years on the third Saturday in October. Our next election across the province will be October 16, 2004. This means community minded people have to start thinking about municipal politics now.
The planning starts long before you get the nomination papers in September and start filling out forms and affidavits. Anyone interested in running should have most of the planning in place by the coming spring. Campaigning before next fall could be useful but the time to be prepared for is immediately following Labour Day in September.
The biggest cost will be your time. One realistic goal is to knock on every door in your electoral district, if you don't live in a regional municipality. In 1988 and 1991 in Ward 4 in Halifax it took me about five weeks full-time to do this. In 1997 and 2000 in District 4 in Lunenburg County it took about the same time. Nominations usually don't close until late September. Use the voters list once you get it and reach as many people as possible.
Advertising is expected and can be expensive so you need to be creative. An effective campaign can be done for under $1000. One well thought out 8 1/2"x11" pamphlet with your picture works well. Who, what, when, why and where are the basic questions people want answered. In many rural communities distribution to mailboxes can be done by friends. Another piece of literature like a calling card to leave at the door is also useful. Signs can be expensive if you can't find a small sign maker to help you out. A few can be good but direct contact with people is the best strategy.
Many of us struggle with the inability of our political institutions to provide a vehicle where communities can have input into shaping their future. I would like to put forth the idea that it is time for a loosely knit coalition of individuals, like minded in wanting to serve their communities' best interests and wanting to work to get candidates elected on October 16, 2004. It might even attract media attention in elections, which are typically very quiet.
I would like to offer whatever time and energy I can assisting anyone interested in these ideas. Finding a space to gather near my home to discuss past election experiences could be easily arranged if there is interest. Traveling to your area if you have some interested people and a meeting place is also possible.
