On the Ward System and Number of Aldermen ...
I do not believe that it was Council's place to determine what the electoral system (wards or no wards, twelve Aldermen or eight) should look like. That should be for the electorate of Niagara Falls to decide.
I believe that it should be up to the CITIZENS of Niagara Falls to decide the system they elect their representatives under. At both 2002 public meetings on these issues, citizens told Council: What's the hurry? Slow down. It's OUR system. Let us tell you what we want. Put it on the ballot next year.
They were absolutely correct: It is THEIR system. I believe they should have been given what they so clearly asked for - the opportunity to choose how to elect their representatives, and the opportunity to decide how many people they wished to represent them.
Although I would always follow the bidding of the majority of the electorate, I have personally favoured the Ward System. Here’s why ...
The trend in similar-sized Ontario municipalities (50,000 -100,000 population) has been to move to the ward system. Vancouver is the only Canadian city of over 100,000 people to retain an at-large system.
The St. Catharines Governance Committee's June 2002 report stated: “... at-large systems tend to be more prevalent in small communities of 15,000 - 20,000 or less in population... Larger municipalities tend to conduct elections on ward system basis, ensuring adequate representation by population and distribution of representation across the City.”
I am not an advocate of following the crowd for its own sake, but I do believe there are compelling reasons behind this trend.
- Fresh Faces , Focus on Issues, Getting to know the Citizens
Residents’ interests are better-represented with an electoral system that lets in new people with different influences and fresh perspectives. A system that makes it easier to elect fresh new people to Council - or at least keeps the incumbents on their toes - is the best thing for the city as a whole.
In an at-large system, the name of the game tends to be name recognition. Many people do not closely follow local politics, and do as I used to: Read the campaign brochures and questionnaire responses in the newspaper, eyeball the lawn signs and newspaper ads, and then vote for those whose names seem most familiar.
The ward system makes personal contact with each household possible. It gives voters a better opportunity to get to know their candidates, to talk with them one on one, and to ask incumbents how they voted on key issues. The candidates, in turn, learn about the values, attitudes and priorities of the people they seek to represent.
In both my ward campaigns, I was able to reach the door of every household I sought to represent. A number of other candidates did so as well. In an at-large campaign, there just isn’t time to reach every door in the City.
The St. Catharines Governance Committee, in recommending that St. Catharines’ ward elections be retained, said: “... ward elections provide for representation from all areas of the municipality and provide a more direct relationship between the Councillors and electors.”
- The average person can run on their own Resources
The ward system provides a more fair and equal opportunity to all candidates. This helps to encourage the average person to step forward.
It is very expensive to run an at-large campaign. The last person to break in under the old at-large system spent $10,000 doing it.
Does the average person in Niagara Falls have the personal resources to produce and distribute the 50,000+ election flyers needed to reach each and every voter? Can they afford newspaper display ads, election signs and other campaign materials?
I was a single mother who entered the political arena because I enjoyed public service, whether as a volunteer or in a paid position. I had no further political ambitions. I did not have the inclination to waste a lot of money on an election campaign. If it weren't for the introduction of the ward system in 1997, I never would have even considered running.
The St. Catharines Governance Committee also were concerned that, were their ward system done away with, “... many individuals wishing to run in the election may not be able to afford the cost to run a city-wide campaign."
At-large elections heavily favour candidates with significant amounts of money at their disposal. This has the potential to encourage “influence buying.” Politicians may be tempted to look more favourably upon the interests of those whose donations have put them in power.
There is dismay in the U.S. that now only millionaires seem to be able to afford political campaigns. Should political leadership be reserved only for the wealthy and those willing to be bankrolled by corporate or union donors?
I believe that the process should be open to the average citizen, the average worker or small business owner, and that political office should be achievable on an average person’s resources alone.
- Easier to keep track, Voters better Informed
A ward system helps to keep incumbents accountable. It makes it easier for people who aren't interested in politics to keep track of their representatives' performance. It is far easier to watch two people than eight. Only those who are keenly interested and closely watch every move will have a really good handle on the entire Council’s track record.
Although, theoretically, an at-large system provides voters with more choice, it makes it extremely difficult for voters to thoroughly consider the issues or ask questions of each and every candidate.
Ward elections, by facilitating face to face interaction between voters and candidates, give the voters a chance to become better-informed. A lot of people who just don't follow local politics. They have no idea whom all the candidates are, let alone where each stands on issues that are important to them. In a democracy, it is important to make informed decisions.
- Equal Attention to Each are of the City
The City runs on a complaint-driven basis. A system which guaranteed politicians came from each area of the city, and regularly got them out to every street, helped ensure that things get done.
During the 2000 election, before I went out on my daily round of door-knocking, I spent the mornings sending descriptions to the Service Centre of where to find potholes needing attention, and lifted/cracked sidewalks which had become tripping hazards. Finding me at their doors, many people said, "While you're here .." and drew my attention to problems on their street that required attention.
- Each Vote has Great Impact
Your vote carried more weight under a ward system.
We have upwards of 50,000 eligible voters in Niagara Falls. Usually only about one third of them turn out - an actual voting population of about 18,000. Your one vote out of 18,000 doesn't carry anywhere near the impact as your one vote out of 3,000 did (when 18,000 voters were divided into six wards of about 3,000 each). When each vote cast represented a greater proportion of the total, by helping opponents of incumbents whose performance you abhorred - by delivering brochures, door-knocking, etc. - each vote you influenced had far more impact.
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