Last Updated on: 1st April 2016, 10:53 am
Carin just brought to my attention a boneheaded bit of election scheduling. I sent her a quick note to let her know that our local all candidates debatewill be on Rogers Television Tuesday October 7th at 7 PM.She’s got a better memory than I do and she kind of serves as my pocket organizer, so I thought she’d have a better chance of remembering than I would. A few minutes later she wrote me back (yes, we really do email back and forth from down the hall) and let me know that the debate, which I feel is important when it comes to local candidates because most people aren’t as familiar with them unless they take the time to study the local newspapers, takes placethe day after the final day of advance polling.
Pardon my ignorance, but what sense does that make? Isn’t the idea of voting to be as informed as possible about the choice you’re making? If it is, why is the debate happening after what could be a large group of people have already made their decisions? And if it’s not, then what exactly might the point actually be? It’s not unheard of for a person to change his mind after seeing a debate. Yes you’re voting for a party, but at the same time you’re also voting for the person who is going to be the public face of your city for the next 4 years or less if this election goes the way I think it will. As somebody who sometimes votes in advance polls because it’s easier as a blind person to get help, this pisses me off just a tad.
I can’t think of another year since I’ve been voting in this city that this has happened, but I guess it’s possible that I could have missed it. In any event, hopefully it will be the last time. I don’t want to have to write something like this again.
