Election countdown

We are closing in on the six-month countdown to the next municipal election and there has yet to be a lot of exciting new names of candidates floating around out there.

As the summer draws nearer, announcements will start trickling in and chances are we’ll see 25 people run for council in Penticton, 20 in Summerland and about a dozen in Oliver and Osyoos.

If you’re interested in being a candidate, please read on.

The first thing to do is call a private meeting of a half-dozen or so people who might be willing to support you. Discuss your platform and see if there’s enough interest.

If you run for office, book off one month of your life for campaigning, which includes meetings, door knocking, and replying to constant emails from media and voters.

For potential candidates, an understanding of the Municipal Act is a necessity. As well, attendance at least a half-dozen council and committee meetings before handing in nomination papers should be mandatory.

If you can’t stand sitting through a meeting as an observer, you won’t enjoy it as a participant.

Using Penticton as an example, many people who were elected to council in their first attempt were never seen in the gallery of a meeting. (Andre Martin and John Vassilaki were among the rare exceptions. Lynn Kelsey deserves a shot at council based solely on her commitment to attending meetings.)

It’s also a good idea to review an agenda package. Pick one in random. They are usually posted online three days prior to a meeting.

That’s the homework you will be required to do on a regular basis if elected.

Don’t think you’ll necessarily have to spend a lot of money to get elected. In 2011, Garry Litke spent only a few hundred dollars on his campaign and finished third in his run for council. By contrast, Jason Cox spent all kinds of money (we don't know how much as he never disclosed his expenses) and placed 10th.

The backing of a well-connected, influential lobby group can help. In Kelowna’s two previous elections, a pro-business campaign group helped get many of its preferred candidates elected. But, new municipal election rules, passed by the NDP, could greatly limit the spending power of such interest groups.

For the voter, if you want a decent council you too need to follow what’s going on. Don’t rely on who has the best lawn signs. Read the newspaper, watch a meeting in person or online, speak with your neighbours, and take note of who is attending special events within the community.

One final thing the voter should be aware of. Social media geniuses seldom make good councillors because they confuse entertainment with civic management.