Final week and final push for a first time candidate running against a 20 year veteran.

By Carol Gottlob
Candidate Municipal and Regional Council – ward 4
October 20, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON.

Each week, until the ballots are cast on October 27th, we are going to follow the tales and travails of a single candidate.  We have chosen Carol Gottlob, running in ward 4 against a well entrenched incumbent.  Gottlob has no experience in civic government, has never campaigned before.   Following this candidate is not an endorsement; Gottlob will win on her own merit.

As we head into the final week of the election campaign, I’m taking this opportunity to reflect on the experience thus far and the impact of the last 7 weeks. My journey begins much sooner, (I think maybe grade 6, when I won the citizenship award in my school for being on the student council and leading a fund-raising campaign), but I’ll focus on the chapter that is the fall campaign of 2014.

Those pink lines show the streets that ward 4 candidate Carol Gottlob walked and knocked on every door.

I understood, going into this process, that there would be long days ahead, tough days, calling on constituents and trying to make myself known in a ward that has grown accustomed to the incumbent of almost 20 years. Gottlob wasn’t a household name yet, and I’ve had to coach a few on pronunciation (rhymes with globe), but it’s been a pleasure doing so. Having been a long distance runner and now an avid hiker, I was eager to test my stamina. Despite a slight cold at the time of writing, I can say I’ve been enjoying each day, regardless of the weather. I am discovering people and the stories about my community I otherwise never would have. Many of those stories begin on August 4th, the day of the flood.

People talk about the kindness of neighbours, the shock of losing precious belongings, the frustration of waiting for answers and the anxiety of reliving the experience if nothing is done. And if they’re not telling it, someone else who was “spared” will tell it for them. There are also nostalgic stories of past councils and mayors, back in the day…. when times were perhaps simpler? These stories only further inspired me to service public office for the residents in my ward. They’re incredible people and I want to give them more, give them better, and help better protect them in the future from these types of disasters.

What I did not fully appreciate until living it was the mental stamina required standing at the door, absorbing people’s reaction to a new face, a fresh idea, and selling myself, my values, my vision for a better future. I felt the occasional cold shoulder, which I accepted as part of this democratic process and debated some controversial issues on many a doorstep. Overall, I would have to say I felt welcomed and respected, and often times appreciated for the simple fact that I was presenting a choice for constituents, a reminder that their voice and vote matter. Burlington does have some of the nicest people.

Interestingly an unexpected challenge came out of the on-line voting, specifically the timing of it. I was at the GO station the week on-line voting began, encouraging people to use it. Apparently this election, a significant number of voters have been using the Internet to vote, and a surprising number of seniors are amongst them! This is wonderful as it provides many residents the opportunity to be more engaged in the municipal government process. It could be argued that the campaign started as early as January 2nd,  when nominations opened.

Current rules are such that the voter list was only available after Labour Day, and signs were permitted only after September 12th. Online voting began October 2nd until the 19th. As a result, for new candidates time is significantly diminished to less than 40 days to make the rounds, or put up signs. I believe the current framework with a staggered early online voting option gives incumbents with name recognition a large potential for an advantage here. In the absence of signs, literature or personal appearances, the voter is likely to defer to the familiar name on the ballot. My suggestion would be for Internet voting to take place between the advanced polling dates, which still gives voters lots of time to become informed about the candidates; something I recommend we should consider for 2018.

Ward 4 candidate Caril Gottlob installing her first election sign.

So now, of course, with Election Day so close at hand, my thoughts turn to the immediacy of what it means to me to be a Councillor and the role I will play. Words such as “advocate”, “advisor”, “steward” and of course “politician” come to mind. But what do those words really mean, and what roles do they suggest? I find myself feeling keenly aware of the tremendous expectations placed upon the Councillor; expectations I intend to confront with integrity, fairness, accountability, responsibility and responsiveness. When asking for someone’s vote, I’m promising to return these values, and more.

Today our culture is fluid and rampant with various means of communication on various platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Email, and online web presence, so as large as our city has grown and continues to grow, so has our ability to invite people into the city hall policy making processes. With this access to information also comes the responsibility of processing and exchanging that which is pertinent to the community versus that which is irrelevant and at times confusing. I believe the role of a Councillor requires great skill in listening, absorbing and understanding.

It also requires a close hand on the community’s pulse of what they want and need in areas of budgeting and expenditures. Costly errors are not easily forgiven, nor should they be. As a Councillor I believe one must act in a conscientious manner and be a transparent advisor to constituents. The best Councillors are those who do more than come out at election time to speak to residents, but instead are constant touch points of communication throughout their term in public office.

Looking back, would I have done things differently to this point? There are always areas for improvement, but overall I can say that I have given Ward 4 my best efforts in introducing myself and declaring what I want the opportunity to do for them. Would it help to have more background experience in municipal affairs? Knowing a job always provides for a faster pick up on the day to day activities, but all successful leaders know what they know and know in the absence of knowledge to ask educated and informed individuals so as to inform themselves before making a decision.

I am confident in my efforts as a candidate in this election, and I can say running for election has been and continues to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience regardless of the outcome.