I want to take a few moments now to thank a group of people who won’t have a great day but deserve all the credit in the world.
Today is election day as voters across Quinte and the province decide who will run their next municipal governments and school boards.
I have some personal experience in this area as I ran once (and only once) in Belleville in 2018 (unsuccessfully).
It is with this in mind that I want to thank the people who don’t win tonight. I feel your pain. I understand your dedication and sacrifice and want to applaud what you gave us over the past six weeks.
The strength of a democracy is giving the electorate choices and letting them freely decide who they will entrust with their future.
There have been more than a few races over the years, including some in PEC today, where candidates have been acclaimed to their seats.
That’s a shame, because not only do you not have someone to step in if the person acclaimed can’t finish the term, but voters in that area don’t get to vote for that seat, and that lack of engagement can have lingering aftereffects.
Real elections need winners and losers, and it’s okay to call it what it is. It’s the not the end of the world if you don’t win, even though it can feel like it after you pour your heart and soul into signs, and door-knocking, debates and future plans.
For those who are chosen, I wish you luck moving forward. For those who are not, thank you for your time and effort, for putting your life on hold for democracy, and for giving people a stronger ballot on which to build our collective future.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
