Times encourages readers to exercise democracy

A municipal election is a chance for citizens to elect candidates that may or may not represent a similar mindset or belief system. A candidate may talk the talk but can she or he walk the walk and take care of business when the time actually comes after an election is said and done?

Are citizens of a community left hanging, hoping the right choice was made on the official ballot? Or, could voters have made a grave mistake in their choice for elected office?

Change is necessary and should be applauded. Change can be therapeutic, cleaning the palette so new ideas can be noticed. Change can be cathartic like a refreshing all-day rain, washing away the dirt while cleaning the air and its surroundings. As the old saying goes, you can’t expect different results if you keep doing the same old thing time and time again. It’s counter-productive.

Of course it is good to keep some of the things that work. If something’s not broken, why try to fix it but many times it all depends on perspective of what works fine or is broken.

A member of a dysfunctional family might look at their family dynamic and think it’s the bees knees and is as solid as a rock, while others may look at the same dysfunctional family and see decay, in need of a more nurturing environment.

Just because something works doesn’t mean it is perfect or infallible or couldn’t use an overhaul, tune-up or slight tweaking. An election is like going to the doctor for a check-up.

The election is the doctor and candidates are the patients in need of a good clean bill of health. Before an election a town council and its councillors may be groggy or not feeling up to par, maybe a little sluggish with spurts of energy and invigoration. During an election a town council and its councillors go in for a few tests such as for a pulse, maybe the reflexes and a cough here and a poke there. Later, days leading up to an election and on election day, candidates are given the results of their rigourous tests. For some it doesn’t look so good and for others things are peachy keen. The doctor recommends a little bit of this or a little bit of that with a healthy dose of new blood in the form of a new candidate to inject new life.

Many times, after the dust settles from an election, the newly elected council forgets to get enough exercise or resorts back to old unhealthy eating habits. At first, a council starts off by being motivated while working at getting in great shape and eating better. By mid-term a council gets lazy and/or  it becomes lethargic but perhaps wishful. A council should go in for a check-up or in this case, perhaps a mid-term grading by voters. Voters can rate their elected officials.

On Oct. 21 citizens of their respective communities will vote for their favourite candidates. Citizens have read profiles about candidates in newspapers and online, have watched features on TV news and current event programs, have attended forums to hear what candidates have to say on a specific topic or concern or some citizens simply don’t care about community progress and choose to wipe their hands of the whole election process. Each to their own. Election day is when all the magic happens and the morning after an election should be about renewal and hope of a better day and hopefully not regret.