Why voting in Pickering matters

By John Meloche Pickering is home to me, and I want a say in how it grows. As a parent, I also want my children to inherit a community where people feel heard. That is why our municipal voter turnout matters to me, whether residents choose to vote online or visit a local polling station. Pickering’s certified October 26 election results show 35,976 ballots cast among 91,259 electors, a turnout of 39.42 per cent. Fewer than four in ten eligible voters participated. I find that difficult to accept when the decisions being made affect the neighbourhoods we live in and the services we depend on. Across Durham, Ajax reported turnout of 32.4 per cent, up from 22.5 per cent in 2022. Clarington reached 34 per cent, compared with 28 per cent four years earlier. Uxbridge reached 49.4 per cent. There is progress to acknowledge, alongside plenty of room to bring more residents into the conversation. Working in technology, I understand the appeal of voting online. If we can save someone a trip across town or let a busy parent vote after the children are asleep, that has value. For someone facing mobility barriers, voting from home can also offer greater independence. Pickering gave residents that option, with online voting from October 19 to 26 and paper ballots available in person on election day. I like the principle behind offering both. People should have a practical way to vote that they understand and feel comfortable using. I would not want a neighbour excluded because they lack reliable internet or struggle with an unfamiliar website. Nor would I want someone with limited mobility facing an unnecessary journey. A system that works beautifully for one person can still present obstacles for another. We need to take both experiences seriously. There are good reasons to protect voting in person. A private booth gives someone space to make their choice away from household pressure. Staff can provide assistance, and paper ballots leave a physical record for a recount. I understand why those features help people feel confident. Online voting deserves equally serious questions about security, privacy and independent verification. I want clear explanations of how voters are authenticated and how results can be checked without revealing individual choices. Asking those questions is part of taking the responsibility of running an election seriously. People deserve answers they can understand without technical expertise. We should also be realistic about what convenience can accomplish. In Clarington, 95.7 per cent of participating voters used an online device. Yet turnout was still 34 per cent. That tells me the method was popular among voters; it does not tell me why everyone else stayed away. A 2024 study of Ontario municipal elections found no lasting turnout increase from internet voting after accounting for differences between municipalities and the timing of adoption. I would be cautious about promising that technology alone will persuade people their vote matters. For me, that is where the larger responsibility begins. Councils need to explain decisions clearly, make budgets understandable and demonstrate that public input receives serious consideration. Residents should be able to see a connection between taking part and the direction their community takes. I also want us to ask people who did not vote what got in their way. Was it time, information, access or a feeling that nothing would change? We will learn more by listening than by assuming we already know. I want Pickering to be a place where voting feels accessible and worthwhile. Our next challenge is reaching the neighbours who stayed away and understanding what would help them take part in shaping our city.