Here at the Joe Horneck Campaign, we are political activists. We want to make a real difference for the good of people and the city. However, we know we are the outliers. Most people don’t put getting involved in politics on their bucket list. However, there are a bunch of reasons to get involved.
There’s more to elections than voting.
If you care about who get elected, you probably get out and vote. However, the vote tally is affected by a myriad of steps and tasks before election day. In a municipal campaign, it’s especially important to meet as many people as possible and learn about their concerns. Challengers in particular have to work hard to get their name out there. That’s why election signs continue to be an important part of campaigning despite how much we all love them — yeah right. Great campaign teams — volunteers — can make a real difference. This last election was decided by a few hundred votes. Your volunteering can make the difference in whether your preferred candidate gets elected.
Politicians are NOT all the same.
We’ve heard people say there is no point in voting or getting politically involved because politicians are all the same. However, that’s simply not true. There are good and bad elected officials of all political stripes. We need to do more to ensure good people run and get elected.
The people we elect really affect our pocketbooks.
Politicians can waste millions of dollars — sometimes simply by not paying attention and holding government employees to account. Elected officials also set policies that can cost or save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. We need to help elect political leaders who will treat our money with the same care we do.
Those we elect impact other important issues too.
Concerned about traffic safety, crime, neighbourhood disputes, recreation services, building permits, snow clearing, waste disposal or other issues? Different politicians have different priorities. Just as importantly some people are better at affecting change than others. We need to work to elect people who will fight for the city we deserve.
It’s easier for politicians to ignore those not engaged.
When groups of people don’t vote or get involved in politics, their issues are more likely to be ignored. When people get involved, they force their priorities to be addressed.
Campaigns can be fun and informative.
Getting involved in an election campaign is a great way to meet people, to learn about what matters to your community, to build your resume, to see how the political process works and to get your daily steps in. Most people who get involved in campaigns discover that the process is more rewarding and fun than they ever could have imagined.
