Moose Jaw Forum

Although in the end it is the candidate with the most votes that wins, I am very interested in the final vote percentages.
The vote percentages mean a lot because they can be viewed as a snapshot of the mood in the community.
If lets say one of the higher profile candidates win with a slim majority percentage wise it could signal many city voters are not ready to move on.
I am not looking at the actual winners, but I am looking at the actual support.
A low percentage win by any candidate could very well indicate really what the voters and people of Moose Jaw are thinking.
A large voter turnout could very well indicate that there is an issue out there that has galvanized the population.
The percentage of voters deciding to vote for less than a total six councilors could indicate that the quality of people out there is bad, the voter is undecided or the voter has done some research.
Look at it this way, how would you like to be the council that is elected with only 40% of the vote. It means that 60% of the people did not vote for you, it is just that your opponents could not galvanize support behind them.
It may make no difference now but higher percentages against any issue might make it hard for people to say lets move forward. It could have an impact on fundraising and it could mean that the fighting and lack of decorum that inhabits council is going to continue.

For example take a look at the Multi-plex vote. Although the YES side won look at the increase in the percentage of NO side vote between the two votes. The YES side won in the end, but who had the true momentum?
If you believe what is being said out there this momentum is still evident and is starting to manifest itself with a seemingly lack of fundraising volunteers and forthcoming donations. People who voted NO just aren't getting on the bandwagon. With a higher percentage win the YES side might now not have the problems they are apparently experiencing. To make the entire thing work they need to move forward and they are continually saying "lets move forward", unfortunately the NO side was large and gaining momentum it isn't going to be easy to move ahead - especially if you are looking for volunteers for fundraising and other events.

I wonder if the "official" local media is going to take a good look at the percentage factor and see it as an indication of the divide I am seeing in the community.
It is not the fact that one side won over the other it is a slim percentage win may not guarantee the kind of support needed to complete a project or proposal.
What if councilors Swanson or Luhning are re-elected but barely percentage-wise?
What happens if Councilors Swanson and Luhning are re-elected with a massive percentage?
What would either outcome indicate?
What happens if Sagal-Hendry and Findley are roundedly defeated with a low percentage of people voting for them?
What happens if either or both of them are re-elected and are the top percentage councilor-elect?
What would that indicate as to the true mood of the Moose Jaw voter?
Win or lose pay close attention to the percentages.
Those are my thoughts.

I don't think we have to look for trouble.Hopefully the winners will show humility,and determination to work together for the BEST for Moose Jaw. If we start picking apart everything, how is that good for Moose Jaw??? Just my opinion.

eKb wrote:I don't think we have to look for trouble.Hopefully the winners will show humility,and determination to work together for the BEST for Moose Jaw. If we start picking apart everything, how is that good for Moose Jaw??? Just my opinion.

I agree that everyone is hoping that we can have a well-rounded council that can have some intelligent debate without some of the lacklustre decorum we have witnessed in the last little while.
What I do not agree with is some of the attitudes out there that say anyone who questions anything in this city is not a Moose Jaw player. In my opinion that type of attitude is what has gotten this city into the mess it is in, has been in in the past and will hopefully not fall into in the future.
For me it is what you call democracy a free and open debate. If you want this debate you had better take a look at what the people are thinking and why? To do anything less and criticize those who look at what is actually going on or people who are willing to analyze things is asking for lots of trouble.
And before others start flaming you I will say it is YOUR right to have your own opiniuon and express it. That is what you call democracy. The majority might rule, but there is a free and open debate based upon the facts, not simply telling people to be quiet because it isn't good for the city.
Democracy is never about hey we won the election now we have the most people on council so what we say is good, what we say is what Moose Jaw wants and those who dissent are not doing good for Moose Jaw. The real strength in democracy is that the little guy can speak his voice and be heard. Anything less than that is nothing more than a dictatorship.
I think if you analyze the percentages we can see what the people of this city truly want our council to do for us not just someone who says I have more supporters than you so what I say goes and that is final. Council needs to give everyone a voice and not just be the voice of a small select group that it has seemed to digress to.
The voting percentage gives us a very good snapshot of what the voters want and what needs to be done. Only a fool would disregard a large group of disgrutled voters even if they are in the minority, unfortunately the past council seemed to be doing this and all of the calls of lets move forward is not going to get the disenters out there raising funds and in the case of the Moose Jaw Warriors in the seats and filling the new and expanded Multi-plex. In a city of this size alienating a large group - even if they are in the minority - is a recipe for disaster.
And that is my opinion.

The city must see some value in them as they are broken out on the city election result web-site.