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EDITORIAL: Get to know council candidates

The municipal election, with its myriad of candidates and platforms might feel like one more thing on the overwhelming to-do list of 2021, but it is one worth making the effort for.
cochrane-opinion

There is more going on than usual.

Probably more than some people would like.

There is a pandemic with new rules and numbers every day. There is a federal election that just wrapped up. There are even things to look forward to, like turkey dinner this weekend, unless you are the cook and then it might be a lot of work too.

The municipal election, with its myriad of candidates and platforms might feel like one more thing on the overwhelming to-do list of 2021, but it is one worth making the effort for.

Municipal elections typically have lower turnouts. Voter turnout in Cochrane during the last municipal election was 38 per cent, much smaller than the recent Banff-Airdrie riding voter turnout in the federal election at 57 per cent.

However, these future town council candidates are not only making decisions for Cochrane, they are the ones who are lobbying the provincial and federal government on behalf of residents. If you are concerned about local taxes, or highways, or wave parks, or health care, or schools, your municipal candidates will have a hand in all of that.

Admittedly, there are a lot of platforms to learn about with 19 people running for town council. The good news is there are a lot of resources online. Most news sources have special sections on their websites profiling the candidates. There are also community forums and candidate election pages on social media.

It is worth your time this long weekend to log on and look up some of your local candidates – they will be having their hands in a lot of pies.

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