Community groups providing election interaction
London voters across all 14 wards are taking advantage of opportunities to make their voices heard and hear what their local candidates are saying about the issues that matter.
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London voters across all 14 wards are taking advantage of opportunities to make their voices heard and hear what their local candidates are saying about the issues that matter.
Urban League of London, Women & Politics, and London Community Foundation have partnered to organize all-candidates debates across the city and Shawna Lewkowitz, president of Urban League London, said attendance has so far been strong.
“We want to provide every Londoner with an opportunity to hear from the candidates in their ward,” she said. “We want to make it as easy as possible by going to the people.”
Rooms in libraries and schools bring candidates and voters together in their neighbourhoods. Sometimes, as was the case Sept. 20, an overflow room is required. But not every ward is created equal. Attendance has been low in Ward 3, perhaps because there is only one candidate.
On average, about 60-70 people are attending the debates.
“Not surprisingly it varies in age, but sways toward an older demographic,” Lewkowitz said. “Maybe because it’s a more traditional way to engage in politics and connect with candidates.” But Lewkowitz, who teaches at King’s University College, said that doesn’t mean young voters aren’t interested.
“You have to go where young people are rather than expect them to come to you,” she said. “Young people do care a lot. They just demonstrate it in different ways. The students I work with do care and pay attention.”
The Youth Advisory Council is also working to engage young voters.
King’s has its own all-candidates debate scheduled Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.
Lewkowitz said said organizers spoke about whether in-person all-candidate debates are a dying format but that didn’t seem to be the case during the last municipal election.
“During the last election, the debates were well attended. There are people who engage in local politics no matter what.”
To help educate both the candidates and the voters, a committee representing the three organizations produced a list of 29 questions and sent them to all candidates in August. Each could choose one question to answer. During the debate, they are also allowed a minute to respond to another candidate’s question. This is followed by questions from the public.
Those questions focus on the issues that matter in that ward: BRT, poverty, and affordable housing are high in most.
“BRT is a popular one,” said Lewkowitz. “People want to know where the candidates stand on it. More specific questions depend on the ward. They want to know how BRT will impact their ward, how they will benefit.”
Lewkowitz said in Ward 11, residents have been asking about a housing issue before the current council. Ward 13 voters want more information about the SoHo land development on the former Victoria Hospital site.
“People are concerned about the economy and issues of poverty and well-being,” said Lewkowitz. “They are asking about safe-injection sites and the opioid crisis. They want to know from candidates what they will do about it.”
The environment also is a priority to some.
“Green bins — there seems to be a lot of support for that,” Lewkowitz said.
Urban League London, made up of neighbourhood associations, community groups, and individuals, also encourages those members to hold meetings. Oxford Park Community Association, for example, held an all-candidates meeting to focus on issues in that neighbourhood.
“A lot of questions revolve around rapid transit because a corridor is planned to go through it,” Lewkowitz said. “They’re near campus, they want to know how candidates will deal with students. As an organization of neighbourhood and residential voices, these (events) are very important.”
Upcoming all-candidates debates
Ward 2 – Thurs Oct 4 East London Branch Library, Room 1 A & B
Ward 6 – Wed Oct 10 Eagle Heights Public School
Ward 7 – Wed Oct 10 Sir Frederick Banting School
Ward 8 – Thurs Oct 11 Oakridge Secondary School
Ward 9 – Thurs Oct 11 Bostwick Community Centre, Room 1
Ward 12 – Thurs Sept 27 Jalna Branch Library, Room 1 A & B
Ward 13 – Wed Oct 3 Central Branch Library, Wolf Performance Hall
Ward 14 – Wed Oct 3 Crouch Branch Library, Room 1 A & B
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