To almost everyone’s relief, the official election campaign is underway. We’ll forgive you if it’s already felt like a long, unofficial trek to the polls. The official start to the race, at least, means no more campaign announcements masquerading as public information.
We are writing this one week after the writ has been dropped, and it looks like it’s the Liberals’ race to lose. But who knows? Even a little less than a month is a long time in politics. Although as races go, this is really a 100-metre election dash.
Last week’s bidding war on bridge tolls promises to just be the first of many salvos to grab voters’ attention. There will be many more promises to come, to be sure. And there will be many more charges of wrongdoing and general skulduggery in the trenches to come. Today’s page 1 story is probably just the first old skeleton to be dragged out of a candidate’s closet.
But there’s also enough fresh mud to be slung around, and voters will have their hands full trying to figure out whom to place their trust in.
It’s no easy feat.
After many years in government, Christy Clark has sharpened her political skills but lost a lot of credibility with broken promises and messes galore.
It’s been so long since the NDP has been in power in B.C. that they almost have a clean slate and a chance to cash in on a “change” mandate. But all of that could change in a heartbeat.
We’ll do our part over the next few weeks to tackle the candidates on the issues, get them to answer questions and show you how they conduct themselves at all-candidates meetings and in the public arena.
But it’s your responsibility as voters to go a step farther and educate yourselves.
Question the candidates when they show up on your doorstep. Tell them what’s important to you. Grill them on their record or ask how they’ll deliver on their promises. Talk to folks whose opinions you respect, as well as those you disagree with.
As the old quote goes, “80 per cent of success is showing up.” In elections, make that 99 per cent.
