We need to adopt ranked-vote elections | Letters to the Editor

Polls suggest that one mayoral candidate is in the lead with probable re-election, but the next two candidates with similar progressive views and excellent experience will split their vote and they will be out of the running.

If we had a ranked-vote system, where second and third choices could be recorded, then people would not engage in strategic voting, all candidates would have a clear indication of their support and the reallocation of votes until one has over 50 per cent of the vote would provide a better indication of what kind of candidate was most wanted, and everyone might feel that their vote counted. Participation, just 46 per cent in the last election, would increase.

Our first-past-the-post approach, increasingly rare in democracies, allows victory without majority support by the electorate. We need change now.

Michael Wiggin, Ottawa

Finally, an issue to shake up an Ottawa council election

What finally could ignite a rather boring election mayoralty campaign is the ill-timed federal intervention into the campaign by Defence Construction Canada and the Communications Security Establishment foisting without consultation a $1.5-billion to $1.85-billion (or more), large, hyper-scale data centre in Ottawa — location to be determined.

This immediately created a one-day wedge issue with the current mayor and candidate Alex Lawson eagerly wanting it and other major candidates Jeff Leiper and Neil Saravanamutto saying hit the pause button.

But for Leiper in particular to win, he will have to come out of his safe zone and vigorously campaign in the remaining days against such an intrusion and community-damaging project.

Data centres are very controversial and eat up much electricity and can and do harm local environments.

A newly elected council will have to deal with this large infrastructure demand along with failing transit, housing and health infrastructure.

So let’s get a debate going this final week and a mayor who can handle this imposed federal demand and reset building Ottawa in a more sustainable fashion.

Ken Rubin, Ottawa

Re: Barrhaven candidate’s campaign sign defaced with slur (Oct 15).
There’s a disturbing occurrence where candidate’s signs are the becoming another place to practise racism. This is not just a one-time incident, it has happened more than once in the Ottawa area.

It’s sad that this is what politics has become. If someone doesn’t like a candidate, for whatever reason, they can display their opinion at the voting booth with a ballot, not by publicly trying to humiliate, discourage, or defacing a candidate’s sign.

In a civilized society every candidate must have the right to campaign peacefully without worrying about sign defacement or hateful or insinuating social media comment attacks.

Running for political office is a societal commitment to serving others and a very difficult personal choice to make. Candidates give up their time, family responsibilities, etc to dedicate their obligation to the betterment of a civic and civil society. The sad part is that, once politics gets ugly and personal, particularly at the local level, many will be discouraged about throwing their hat into the ring for fear their dedication might not be worth the sacrifice or effort.

Despicable politics is a bell ringer that society isn’t working well. Democracy functions better with involvement, not with unfounded or malicious attacks with the intent of eliminating a candidate just because you may not agree with them or not like their appearance.

We’re all different, but trying to unify everyone should be the ultimate goal.

Douglas Cornish, Ottawa

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