Election Fever - I must have had my shots

Next Saturday marks my second civic election since relocating to Vancouver five years ago. One would think given my keen interest in politics, any elections would have me volunteering, campaigning, and blogging furiously, but to this point, I am completely unmotivated beyond casting my ballot on November 19.

I can cite a few reasons for my lack of motivation. 2002 was a 'payback' election, in which Vancouver voters served up chilly plates of revenge not only to the NPA, but to Gordon Campbell's BC Liberals in Victoria as well. After subjecting commuters to a six-month transit strike, fiddling while the Downtown Eastside burned, and generally screwing over anyone unfortunate enough to live between Main Street and Boundary Road, Vancouverites latched onto Larry Campbell, the tough-talking outsider who inspired not one, but two TV series, and flushed the NPA. This time around, there may be a few outstanding issues (Highway 1, Wal-Mart) but there is no sense of being mad as hell and not taking it anymore.

It also doesn't help that many of us expected to contest this election using a ward system, in which we could focus in on specific candidates rather than oversized slates. I can't think of anything more undemocratic than some candidates winning elected office with neither a majority NOR a plurality of the votes cast. Given that COPE and President's Choice Memories of Larry Campbell (ie. Vision Vancouver) have patched up their differences (at least in front of the cameras), voters aren't left with much of a choice beyond these guys or the NPA.

Finally, given the amount of key municipal issues that are resolved at the regional level by appointed GVRD representatives, this page is often left wondering if civic elections in Vancouver actually matter. It's one thing to elect a Vancouver City Council that has strong public transit advocates, but it means absolutely nothing if they can't get appointed to the Translink board: or if they do, end up being shouted down by the likes of Doug (if it ain't moving, pave it!) MacCallum in Surrey.