Vote for the Record, Not the Rumour

Vote for the Record, Not the Rumour Election campaigns are, unfortunately, the season of rumours. Every four years, social media fills with anonymous accusations, edited videos, half-truths, gossip, headlines designed to provoke, and opinions repeated so often they’re mistaken for fact. Candidates attack one another. Supporters repeat what they’ve heard. Before long, narratives replace evidence. That should concern every voter. If there is one piece of advice I’d offer this election, it’s this: vote for the record, not the rumour. Don’t let Facebook comments decide your vote. Don’t let headlines decide your vote. Don’t let campaign flyers decide your vote. And don’t let someone else’s opinion become your own. Do your homework. If someone tells you a candidate said or did something outrageous, don’t stop at the headline or the thirty-second video clip. Watch the council meeting. Read the minutes. Review how they actually voted. Look at the staff reports that were before council. Ask yourself whether you’ve heard the entire story or only the version someone wanted you to hear. If you’re considering re-electing an incumbent, don’t ask what they’re promising today. Ask what they’ve done over the last four years. Did they show up prepared? Did they ask thoughtful questions? Did they challenge assumptions when something didn’t make sense? Did they vote consistently with the principles they campaigned on? Were they willing to stand alone when they believed it was the right thing to do, or did they simply go along with the majority because it was easier? If you’re considering a first-time candidate, ask a different set of questions. Have they attended council meetings before deciding to run? Have they spoken publicly about municipal issues over the past four years, or did their interest begin when election season arrived? Have they volunteered in the community, served on local boards, or demonstrated a genuine commitment to public service? Do they understand the responsibilities of the office they’re seeking, or are they making promises that sound good but are beyond what a municipal council can legally deliver? If they’re seeking the office of mayor, what experience or preparation have they demonstrated to lead an entire municipality? Municipal government is far more complex than most people realize. It involves budgets, legislation, governance, planning, infrastructure, public consultation, and understanding the distinct roles of council and staff. Experience isn’t everything, but knowledge, preparation, and a willingness to learn matter. After serving on council, I’ve come to appreciate just how much there is to learn about municipal government. Budget decisions aren’t simply a matter of finding something to cut. They require understanding legal obligations, long-term financial planning, infrastructure needs, reserve funds, contractual commitments, and where meaningful savings can realistically be achieved without simply shifting costs somewhere else. Experience doesn’t mean someone has all the answers, but it does provide valuable insight into how municipal government actually functions. Character matters just as much as experience. Watch how candidates conduct themselves during the campaign. Do they spend their time explaining their own ideas, or attacking other candidates? Do they encourage respectful debate, or rely on rumours and personal attacks? Do they ask questions before reaching conclusions? Do they think independently, or do they simply follow the crowd? Just as importantly, ask yourself how they reach their conclusions. Do they read the reports? Attend the meetings? Listen to residents with differing opinions? Ask difficult questions? Examine the evidence? Or do they simply repeat what someone else has told them? The campaign often reveals how someone will govern. A candidate willing to spread rumours during an election may be just as willing to make decisions based on rumours once elected. A candidate who refuses to listen to opposing viewpoints during a campaign is unlikely to become an open-minded decision-maker after election day. During my years on council, one lesson has become impossible to ignore: facts matter, but so does the willingness to seek them out. I’ve experienced firsthand how quickly public narratives can take hold when people rely on headlines, social media, or someone else’s interpretation instead of asking questions and examining the facts for themselves. Whether people ultimately agree with me is not the point. The point is that every candidate-and every issue-deserves to be judged on the evidence, not on gossip. Healthy democracy depends on independent thinkers. The easiest thing in politics is to follow the crowd. Real leadership requires something more. It requires the courage to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, examine the facts, and stand by your principles - even when you stand alone. As voters, we should expect nothing less.