Toronto went to the polls yesterday and re-elected John Tory to a second term. I haven't written a word about yesterday's municipal election for two reasons:
- I've been very busy
- The results were a foregone conclusion
Less than half of eligible voters in Toronto cast a vote in this election. I personally never miss an opportunity to vote, and cast my vote between donating blood and picking up the two little ones at kindergarten and daycare, but the majority took a pass. This is nothing new. Municipal elections are always plagued by voter apathy.
John Tory is a bland, safe choice who was always going to run away with this election. I didn't vote for him, but I knew he'd win easy. In my Ward 3, the incumbent councillor also won easily, and I didn't vote for him either. As the only incumbent running, not even his shady developer dealings could cost him another term. Wash, rinse, repeat.
No judgement here... I'm not going to puff out my chest and wave my finger at non-voters in holier-than-thou fashion. I actually get it. I understand the apathy. With so many incumbents winning, it does feel as if the game is rigged. And if you do not play, you cannot lose.
But as long as I'm physically able, I'll vote. And I'm doing my best to pass on these values to my kids. Next time we vote for Mayor, two of my kids will be registered voters. We'll see how influential I was.
