Even when you lose, running in an election is worth it

Kelly Steiss was prepared to learn a lot when she ran for mayor of Waterloo.

What she wasn’t prepared for was the man who answered the door in his underwear as she tried to give him some campaign literature one day.

Her husband was out knocking on doors with her, and he told her: “Come back when your husband’s not here.”

That wasn’t all. Steiss was also propositioned as she tried to build an online presence. After she started having to block people who harassed her, she was subjected to sexist insults.

Steiss said she didn’t bring this up during the campaign because she didn’t want the story to distract from her platform of better accountability at city hall.

She learned a lot of things while running for office. The entrenched sexism that’s still in our culture, which works against female candidates, was one of them.

But there were other times when she would be invited in for a cup of tea and the resident would pour her heart out over the recent death of a pet.

“People reached out to me in really personal ways,” she said.

Steiss was one of many people I wondered about after the municipal election two weeks ago.

What had the candidates who ran and lost learned about the process? About themselves? About the community?

“It was a good learning experience for me,” said Aizad Ahmad, who ran in Kitchener’s Ward 5 against veteran incumbent Kelly Galloway-Sealock.

He learned about the city’s budget documents, even consulting with an accountant who teaches courses in municipal finance.

“I felt it’s time for a change,” he said. “A lot of things in Kitchener, I feel could be improved.”

He found that residents of the suburban ward were less informed than he thought.

“People literally didn’t know the election was coming up. They didn’t know they have to vote for 11 people.

“I had to make a fact sheet.” The residents were frustrated with traffic congestion in their neighbourhood, but didn’t know which level of government was responsible.

And roundabouts? “People hate them.”

Rob Deutschmann, former mayor of North Dumfries, went up against the powerhouse of the Karen Redman campaign when he ran for chair of Waterloo regional council.

Although Redman wasn’t an incumbent, she enjoyed name recognition as a former member of Parliament, municipal councillor and school trustee.

Deutschmann knew all along he was in second place, but “it was a great experience,” anyway.

He took time to get to know the region’s cycling advocates, and even bought a bike during the campaign.

“For many of them to say I earned their vote, was a reward,” he said. “They’re so passionate and so vocal and continue to rally over their issues, even though they continue to get disappointed.”

There were obstacles. Deutschmann had to campaign all over Waterloo Region, the sheer size of which was a challenge.

And “half my campaign team left in September when my three daughters went back to school,” he joked.

But Deutschmann’s mission to understand the region and its residents better was rewarded. He hosted town hall meetings where issues were discussed. He rode the bus for the first time since high school, so he could better understand what it’s like for riders and drivers.

The whole experience “opened my eyes,” he said.

“Even if I didn’t win, I feel I won in so many other ways.”