by Hannah MacLeod
I’ve really enjoyed getting to know each of our potential candidates throughout the last month, through interviews or all-candidates meetings or online platforms, however, something about this election doesn’t feel quite fair.
At the end of each article, I’ve grown accustomed to writing “this year’s election is via phone or internet,” but every time I write it, I think about those who have lived in our township the longest, and whose input deserves to be heard.
I had a conversation with a friend the other day, an older gentleman, who said he ‘wasn’t going to bother voting’ because it was online – convenient for newer generations, but frustrating to these older ones. Many of these older, retired farmers – for example – are widowed, without children or with children out of the area, who could otherwise assist them. They can read all they want about their potential candidates, but their vote gets lost in passing conversation.
Is the vote outweighed if there is potential for a majority vote going to younger generations? I’m sure this system wasn’t implemented with any ill-intent, however, I’d love to see a more accessible system in the future. The future is supposed to be more inclusive, not less. I think the addition of online voting makes it more accessible, but not with the removal of in-person voting.
With COVID, came a lot of positive and likely permanent changes to the way we live! For me, it meant working from home in bad weather, phone interviews when you can’t agree on a time or ZOOMing with your aunts for your birthday… but let’s not cheap out at election time.
There are hundreds of votes being heard, but not validated, this year. Let’s do better for the next election.
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