You never forget your first time

It happens to everyone at a certain magical age. You’ve heard about it from your older peers, and your parents have probably even given you “the talk,” but now it’s time to experience what might be your first one ever. The 2014 municipal election!

City councillor Joe Swan announcing his candidacy for mayor in late July, the Ward 3 seat is very much available. Much of the student body of Fanshawe College, as well as the school itself, resides in the neighbourhoods of Ward 3, to the extent that they make for a major demographic to be considered. That’s you.

In 2010, the difference between the winning candidate and the runner up in Ward 3 was 352 votes – less than some of the lecture halls on campus. A city councillor is one of 15 elected officials charged with making decisions on behalf of the electorate (you again) on matters pertaining to the management of the city and its resources.

As one vote, a councillor has limited ability to impact decisions at city hall, but they can also use their position to draw attention to issues within their ward. Councillor Stephen Orser has become a local legend for his unapologetic approach to politics, and Ward 4 has rewarded him with two terms in office.

City council campaigns are rarely fraught with excitement. The stakes aren’t high enough to warrant a paparazzi-esque pursuit of the candidates, and the majority of applicants are fairly run-of-the-mill. There are only a handful of candidates for Ward 3 this time around and only two strong contenders.

Bill Harris is a longtime resident of Ward 3. He’s lived there since childhood and is seeking office to speak on behalf of his community’s members. Proudly running a “no-gimmick” campaign, Harris will find support in Ward 3 for his simple message of integrity and community.

Coming soon to a coffee shop near you, the youngest candidate of the bunch, Mohamed Salih. With more social media buzz than even some of the mayoral candidates, Salih has cornered his demographic with novel campaign tactics and is sure to finish high on the ballot.

Come October 27, Londoners won’t just be voting for the city councillor of their choice though, the race for the big seat continues. Former Mayor Joe Fontana resigned after being convicted of criminal charges, including breach of the public trust, for billing his son’s wedding reception to tax-payers.

With over a dozen Londoners announcing their candidacy for mayor, the field consists primarily of wannabes. Successful business people and the occasional blue-collar hopeful accounts for over half a dozen of the mayoral candidates.

Throw in a couple potential UFO hunters and that almost rounds out the group. The strongest bids, however, come from former city council members Joe Swan and Matt Brown. Both have demonstrated good judgment and comparative sanity over their four years in office, a track record that voters are sure to take into consideration come election day.

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.