Hey Vancouver, Let’s Mom the Vote

During the federal election campaign this spring, Toronto blogger Karen Greeners urged Canadian mothers to get out and mom the vote. Her message was simple: arm yourself with information to help you make the best decision for your family, and then take action and VOTE. She garnered national attention with her use of the #momthevote hashtag on Twitter, and she brought family issues front and centre.

Why we Need to Mom the Vote

On Saturday, November 19, voters all across British Columbia will be choosing new local governments. Usually, voter turnout in civic elections is low. In the last federal election, voter turnout was 61%. In the last provincial election, voter turnout was 51%. In the last civic election in Vancouver, voter turnout was 31%. And yet, for moms, civic elections are where the action is. We’re choosing the people who will be in charge of schools, parks, recreation programs, traffic safety and housing. These are issues that affect us – and our kids – each and every day. We need to make our voices heard, and mom the vote.

Voting in civic elections can seem confusing. In Vancouver you can vote for one mayor, seven park commissioners, nine school trustees and 10 councillors. That’s up to 27 candidates to choose. Who can remember the names of 27 candidates – especially when your toddler kept you up all night?

Voting for the Busy Mom

Here are some suggestions to make voting easier for you:

There’s no rule that says you can’t bring a cheat sheet to the polls. If you’re not sure you can remember all your candidate picks, write them down on a piece of paper and bring it with you.
You are allowed to vote for up to seven parks commissioners, up to nine school trustees and up to 10 councillors. However, you don’t have to vote for the maximum. In fact, it may be better not to, because voting for people you’re not sure about can dilute the votes, and hurt the chances of the candidates you really support. So don’t let the fact that you haven’t selected 27 candidates keep you at home.

Kids love elections – and it’s a great chance to teach them how our society functions. The election workers are generally happy to see kids, too. Make an outing of it, by stopping for some hot chocolate on the way home, and they’ll have fond memories of the day. Plus, you’re setting a great example.

Gathering Information Before you Vote

If you live in Vancouver, you can check out the Vancouver election information online. They even have a free “Vancouver Votes” iPhone app to make voting as easy as possible. You can also find out where and when to vote, and read candidate profiles to help you make your decision.

If you live outside of Vancouver, check out your city’s website. It will have information on who’s running, and where and when you can vote. Take a little bit of time to read up, make your choices, and then get out and mom the vote. At VancouverMom.ca, we create content for moms who love where they live, because we love it, too. By getting out and voting, we’re doing our part to make sure that this city remains a vibrant, thriving, fabulous place to live and raise a family. It’s something to feel good about.

Will you be doing your part to mom the vote here in Vancouver? What issues are important to you as you cast your ballot? Leave us a reply, and let us know what’s on your mind!

*Image credit: Travis Nep Smith on Flickr.