The last North Cowichan municipal election in 2018 took on a nasty tone and this one is already shaping up for more of the same.
Taking potshots at your opponents is one thing more indicative of the norm for U.S. politics, but when candidate signs are being vandalized and other rhetoric is being bandied about, it goes far beyond the purpose of electing people to council who are willing to serve the community.
Support your chosen candidates, by all means. But don’t go thrashing and trashing the others. It serves no useful purpose other than to get bad blood flowing.
The mayor’s race got a bit unruly four years ago with three candidates vying for the vote before Al Siebring eventually won by a narrow margin over Jon Lefebure.
Joyce Behnsen was the third candidate and, even though she initially thought of running for mayor again, she chose to seek a return to a councillor position instead.
With three on the ballot again for mayor again, the battle lines are being drawn among supporters of Rob Douglas, Rosalie Sawrie and John Koury. There is considerable choice this time for councillor, with six to elect from a group of 15.
It didn’t take long for this campaign to get out of control with damages to political signs, particularly in the Chemainus area.
If you don’t like a candidate, feel free to ignore the sign. They’re only up for a few short weeks.
This defacing of signs with symbolism that defies description or just plain wrecking them because you don’t like the candidate and simply want to cause mischief has to stop.
People have the right to put up their signs in strategic places and lobby for the public vote. We can’t all agree on the right men or women to assume the job for various reasons.
There seems to be a great divide heading into the Oct. 15 vote, with pro-environment versus pro-development at the centre of debate. Many point out there has to be a middle ground because we have a limited water supply in the wake of drought the last few years, but we also have a housing crisis.
There is a concern about the one-issue candidates and that’s something the voters will have to sort out.