Meet your Mistress

Welcome to my blog. Pull up an armchair, kick back and let your fingers do the talking.

What you should know about your mistress . . .

My name is Elaine and I have a problem. I am a political junkie. I spend years craving and anticipating my fix - an election. My rush of choice is civic politics. I support the concept of consuming that which produced closest to home.

I can get hopped up on provincial and federal issues as well, although the feds are wearing thin - too much of a good thing possibly.

My experience in the political playing field started with pounding the pavement for a candidate, then the odd foray into the backroom, fifteen years on the frontline as a candidate and alas, at the request of the voters, retirement. Suffice it to say "been there, done that."

But once you've tasted the political drug, the desire for more lingers. So now my fix comes from writing and commentary. With Saskatoon's upcoming civic election, this will be a forum to spout opinions and trade ideas.

Initially I thought this civic election had the juice of a withered lemon. I pointed my fickle finger at the ward system.

The idea that the voting public could not choose a slate from a lengthy list of candidates every three years seemed spurious. Interestingly enough these same voters can manage to cruise 50 to 100+ TV channels nightly to select their viewing pleasure, yet every three years they were deemed not to be capable of cruising a list of similar size to select their civic government. Did we vote for this?

With 3 of 10 wards for council, and 4 of 10 wards for public school board, decided by acclamation many people are feeling they've lost their right to vote. The acclamations, coupled with a public perception that the Mayor's race is a done deal, have fed public apathy to a point that even those who care speak of not wasting their time "X"ing a ballot. So now the game gets interesting.

After listening to the panic stricken ramblings of some incumbents I am wavering on this year's outcome. Hmmm . . . maybe this lemon does have some juice.

• fanatics and one-issue voters will always make the effort to support their candidate (and this supposes that none of our incumbents qualify for this vote)
• the NDP are masters at get-out-the-vote (and this supposes that fanatics and one-issue candidates are separate entities)
• since school boards have lost the right to tax, ratepayers are less concerned about who fills these chairs
• no burning issue
  
• too many acclamations
• a public that just doesn't give a damn
• the Mayor's race is already over (or is it?)

Anyone taking bets for the 28th?

Tip to at-large candidates: don't waste your time in Wards 7 and 9 - there will be no line up at the polls here this election.

Best Election Belly Laugh to Date: Find a fitting name (SP Sept. 30) by Dorothy Johnstone for her River Landing moniker "The Atch Hole." Sorry Mr. Mayor but I think this one is going to stick.

Preview of things to come
Famous and infamous candidate/councilor quirks and quips
Honourable and dishonourable campaigning
Bring the party machines out of the backroom
Ward by ward issues and antics
Are school boards still necessary?
The virtual campaign - linking the generations
Stupid Voter Syndrome