By Pepper Parr
October 31st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Where did the votes come from at the ward level.
With just over 27% of the xx voters showing up to vote at one of the 24 polling stations one has to wonder, first where did the ballots get cast and why was the turnout so low.
Weather wasn’t a factor; the concern over the Mayoralty level race – there really weren’t candidates who were up to the job other than the current Mayor.
The breakdown of the results for wards 1, 3 and 6 are set out below.
The results for 2, 4 and 5 will follow in a separate article.
Some thought that Robert Radway had at least a chance. A small group were fed up with the poor engagement with the community but they didn’t have all that much in the way of traction. It wasn’t until that the incumbent Kelvin Galbraith’s meetings with the Integrity Commissioner became public that the nature of the race changed,. The publication of that news became public seven days before election day – it wasn’t enough time for Radway to capitalize on the news. Galbraith took it in a walk – now he has to deal with the Integrity Commissioner.
Incumbent Rory Nisan was seen as unpopular. Some felt that the ward needed a better council member. Jennifer Hounslow had a solid pedigree and was thought to have an experienced campaign team. They apparently didn’t deliver. Hounslow id said to be dedicated and committed to a run in 2026.
For a guy who won the seat by less than 50 votes in 2018 Angelo Bentivegna has come a long way. His win can only be called a landslide. Bentivegna has clearly done what had to be done at the constituency level – they liked him and they returned him. Asking Bentivegna to tell the public just what he had accomplished – we were referred to his Facebook page. However, with numbers like this – Bentivegna can do whatever he wants
Can one blame the incumbents for the poor voter turn out ?
If new candidates didn’t put in the work needed to run a decent campaign; if they waited too long before they went to the public – they have only themselves to blame.
Municipal politics is as close to the public as a candidate can get. Bentivegna certainly made that point. He wasn’t and is never going to be the most effective Councillor but he asks solid questions frequently and has learned that he doesn’t have to be a puppet for the Mayor. It will be interesting to see how he handles himself this term.
Don’t expect any change from Nisan. He may never show up at a Council meeting, preferring to take part virtually from his home. He has all the support he is ever going to get from the Mayor and that appears to be enough for him. That he didn’t really deliver all that much – does a splash pad count – but if that was enough for his constituents then they have what they wanted.
Luke McEachern came into the ward 3 race very late and much of what he had to say did not appear to align with the voters.
Mr Galbraith now has to deal with whatever the Integrity Commissioner decides to do with the complaints that are being sent to him. One has been delivered, another is in the works and a third is believed to be underway.
Our reading of the role Integrity Commissioners is that they do have the power to declare a seat vacant
I voted for Rory in Ward 3, but only because I had no other options. Luke was a very nice person to meet but his answers on some issues weren’t aligned with my own. Jennifer could have been my choice, but she dropped the ball failing to answer surveys from community groups – all of them. Who else could I support but Rory after then? We need to see better, but he’s not done the worst job.
I hope we have far better options in 2026.
In the last election development was a key issue, most people now see that these decisions iare clearly in the hands of the provincial government and LPAT rendering municipal government powerless.