I visited city hall today to submit my nomination papers to run for the Whitehorse byelection. I was surprised to find out that the turnout at general and byelections for Whitehorse city council is not that strong. In 2009 at the general election only 36.8 per cent voted. At the last by-election in 2005 only 19.6 per cent of us showed up at the polls.
I’ve been listening to Whitehorse residents over the past two years as part of my run for Whitehorse Centre in the 2010 territorial by-election, and now in lead-up to the city byelection. What I hear from many of you is that a lot of the issues facing us are municipal issues, or in some way connect with the responsibilities of your city government.
Therefore I would like to challenge Whitehorse residents to show up to the polls to break records in turnout for this important vote.
Perhaps we can break the ceiling with a 40 per cent turnout.
Here’s an interesting quotation: “The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment,” (Robert Hutchins; 1930s and ‘40s University of Chicago president). We need to tell our elected officials that, through our numbers at the polls, we take care in choosing them, so that in turn, we can hold them accountable for their actions.
I look forward to joining you December 1 to vote into office one among those of us who has stepped forward to serve. Both jobs are phenomenally important à those who vote and those who offer to serve.
Kirk Cameron
Whitehorse