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How do we change the vibe?

Editor: I’m only just now in my 40s and admittedly did not pay much attention to municipal politics prior to the last six years, and a part of me is starting to miss those days.

Editor:

I’m only just now in my 40s and admittedly did not pay much attention to municipal politics prior to the last six years, and a part of me is starting to miss those days.

To me election season should be a time of excitement, with a positive buzz throughout the community, either from the excitement of having our elected officials carry on with the positive initiatives and projects they have underway, or a positive buzz surrounding the possibility of a needed change within the community governance.

Either way it seems society has slipped into an environment where anxiety and negativity take centre stage over the positive. In this environment, conversations surrounding who we will not vote for, and who we will vote against, have replaced conversations surrounding who we will support and the reasons why.

Is it any wonder low voter turnout remains an issue, especially with those under the age of 45?

Being an audience to many of these conversations, either in person or lurking on social media, I hear the very personal experiences and stories being told, and can understand why individuals would have such passionate opinions. However, rather than focusing the conversation on the reasons you will not support a candidate, what if you were to change the conversation to why you will support another?

I’m not speaking to any one “side” over the other, as this is an observation made equally from all sides, and it is from all sides that we can direct change.

If we were to all change the conversation, I wonder what impact it would have on not only voter turnout, but the entire vibe surrounding this election season, and ultimately on the election itself. 



Mike Fawcus, Sechelt