Following election day on October 24, Hamilton welcomes Andrea Horwath as its new mayor and incumbent Maureen Wilson is re-elected as Ward 1 city councillor
Over one hundred thousand Hamilton residents cast their votes in Hamilton’s municipal election, which concluded on Oct. 24. Following election day, former Ontario New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath was announced as Hamilton’s new mayor, capturing 41.68 per cent of the vote.
Horwath’s leadership marks a milestone for Hamilton — she will be the city’s first female mayor.
Horwath’s leadership marks a milestone for Hamilton — she will be the city’s first female mayor.
The race was close between Horwath and Keanin Loomis, former CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. Horwath emerged just under two thousand votes ahead of Loomis, who captured 40.51 per cent of the vote.
Bob Bratina, a former mayor of Hamilton, came third in the mayoral race with 12.27 per cent of the vote.
“Hamilton is my pride and my inspiration. I could not have asked for a better hometown. And there are so many people who poured their hearts into making our city even greater. I am filled with gratitude,” tweeted Horwath on Oct. 24, following her election.
“Hamilton is my pride and my inspiration. I could not have asked for a better hometown. And there are so many people who poured their hearts into making our city even greater. I am filled with gratitude.”
Andrea horwath, mayor of hamilton
Horwath’s platform throughout her campaign addressed many key issues affecting Hamilton residents, such as transportation, housing and trust between city hall and the public.
Along with electing a new mayor, Hamilton residents also voted for their city councillors. In Ward 1, over eight thousand residents cast their ballots and incumbent Maureen Wilson won the seat with 74.96 per cent of the vote.
In Ward 1, over eight thousand residents cast their ballots and incumbent Maureen Wilson won the seat with 74.96 per cent of the vote.
Ian MacPherson received 15.72 per cent of the votes and John Vail received 9.32 per cent of the votes.
Wilson addressed Ward 1 residents in a long Twitter thread on October 25.
In this thread, she expressed her appreciation for residents of Ward 1 and her desire to address their concerns. She also thanked her opponent, Ian MacPherson, for his community contributions and for his campaign.
A precise breakdown of the election results can be found on the City of Hamilton website.
C/O Keanin Loomis
Loomis discusses Sewergate, developing a more responsive city hall and the importance of the student vote
The Silhouette sat down with Hamilton mayoral candidate Keanin Loomis to discuss his platform for the upcoming municipal election.
Loomis has been an active member of the Hamilton community through his involvement in Innovation Factory as chief operating officer and as president and CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.
Loomis was motivated to run for mayor after feeling that some issues were mishandled by the current governing body. Namely, the sewage leak in Cootes Paradise and the police response to violence at 2019 Hamilton Pride.
“One of the big things that motivated me to run was the dumping of sewage into the Cootes Paradise and its subsequent coverup. It just absolutely disgusted me. It was one of the reasons why I decided to step up, because we need better leadership in this community,” said Loomis.
One of the big things that motivated me to run was the dumping of sewage into the Cootes Paradise and its subsequent coverup. It just absolutely disgusted me. It was one of the reasons why I decided to step up, because we need better leadership in this community.
Keanin Loomis, Hamilton mayoral candidate
Loomis discussed the main pillars of his campaign — rebuilding trust in city hall, growing Hamilton economically, enhancing responsiveness in city hall and focusing on a safer and cleaner city.
Loomis expressed there has been a shift in focus away from crucial issues and towards petty grievances in city hall, which he identified as a problem.
“Week after week after week, we're seeing embarrassing things happening at city hall and a lot of wasted energy focused on personalities . . . we needed better leadership in this community,” said Loomis
Loomis’ platform also includes a plan for furthering Hamilton’s economic development. Loomis plans to focus on affordability and accessibility for all citizens. Alongside this, he also discussed the need to take the city’s carbon footprint more seriously.
“I am going to be focused on creating a clean, safe and healthy Hamilton. For my kids, for equity seeking groups that might not feel safe here and for the environment as well,” said Loomis.
I am going to be focused on creating a clean, safe, and healthy Hamilton. For my kids, for equity seeking groups that might not feel safe here and for the environment as well.
Keanin Loomis, Hamilton mayoral candidate
There will be a significant amount of turnover following this municipal election, as at least seven positions are being elected out of the 16 person political body, providing a unique opportunity for change. Loomis explained that this potential for reform is notable, especially regarding current challenges city hall has faced in staying focused on important issues.
“[I] want to make sure that very quickly I set the right tone and make it very clear that we are not going to continue to do things as city hall has over the last couple of decades. If we can get over that hump, I think that we'll be able to really get down to business and work on meeting our challenges and taking advantage of opportunities,” said Loomis.
[I] want to make sure that very quickly I set the right tone and make it very clear that we are not going to continue to do things as city hall has over the last couple of decades. If we can get over that hump, I think that we'll be able to really get down to business and work on meeting our challenges and taking advantage of opportunities.
Keanin Loomis, Hamilton mayoral candidate
Loomis also emphasized the importance of young people keeping informed on the election and casting their vote. McMaster students are directly impacted by the decisions the municipality makes and Loomis suggested that by developing a stronger understanding of these decisions and how they’re made, students will be sure to find something that motivates them to get to the polls and vote.
“If you can understand how all three levels of government impact you on a daily basis, you will be a generally more informed citizen and you will be motivated to have your say when the time comes to speak up,” said Loomis
Keanin Loomis is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
C/O Michael Pattison
Pattison has built his campaign on affordability, transparency and food insecurity
The Silhouette sat down with mayoral candidate Michael Pattison to reflect on his current campaign and the most pressing issues for the upcoming election.
Pattison is running as a mayoral candidate for the third time in his political career, having previously campaigned for the position in 2014 and 2018. He is running again this term to address issues involving affordability, transparency and food insecurity in the municipal government.
Affordability is the biggest point of Pattison’s platform. He discussed the importance of funding mental health initiatives as a key part of his affordability plan.
“The worse that our mental health slides down and the harder that finances get on people, I believe [that] is one of the biggest precursors for mental health [challenges]. When you are terrified of losing your home, not being able to eat or not being able to pay your bills — these things weigh on people so heavily on a common scale. Whether it is through more therapy or having different social meeting groups, [mental health initiatives] can help the overall city of Hamilton as a whole,” said Pattison.
As another key aspect of affordability, Pattison highlighted the importance of addressing the housing crisis in Hamilton.
“From a city perspective, my number one thing is: winter is coming. We have to have safe, secure spots for those that are homeless or are becoming homeless or we're going to then have a death issue on our hands,” said Pattison.
From a city perspective, my number one thing is: winter is coming. We have to have safe, secure spots for those that are homeless or are becoming homeless or we're going to then have a death issue on our hands.
Michael Pattison, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Pattison also advocated for transparency in city spending. Discussing the allocation of funds from residential taxes, Pattison claimed the largest allocation is towards an unknown department listed as “other” in the 2021 tax distribution report.
“When you go through the city budgets, they give you an average residential tax rate and they break it down by department. And if you were to look, you'll see where social services comes in, you'll see where education comes in, policing, and things like that, but yet the largest piece of the pie is just listed as ‘other’. And after going through line by line of our overall budget, I am yet to figure out what the ‘other’ is,” said Pattison.
However, the City of Hamilton’s annual tax dollar distribution chart only mentions “other” for other city services. After reaching out to city hall, other city services was explained to encompass the capital levy, where tax dollars are used to finance capital projects for all city programs and services, as well as smaller dollar value city services. Additionally, policing services were found to be the largest allocation, followed by education services, and then other city services.
The third main issue in Pattison’s platform is the importance of food security for Hamiltonians, similar to his platform in 2018, due to increased rates of food insecurity across Hamilton.
“We're going to come into a food crunch. I believe that this winter is going to be a very unfulfilling time for people . . . We've done nothing as a city to work on our food security issues. Even dealing with local farmers, we haven't put anything in place. We haven't helped them with green housing, we haven't done anything to come up with a local supply of guaranteed food,” said Pattison.
When asked about the potential challenges of mayorship, Pattison foresaw the learning curve that comes with the position as the biggest hurdle.
“A mayor basically has three distinct roles and mastering those three roles is something that I'm game for. I have the ability to maintain all three levels: within city council, you're basically a moderator; within the city executive, you're the CEO and in the public, you need to be a role model. So, trying to master those three, coming from just a blue-collar background that was just born and raised in this city,” said Pattison.
Addressing the McMaster University community, Pattison wanted students to become more engaged with the election and municipal government.
“I believe that you're our future leaders. And you know, it's the choices that are made today that set up tomorrow. You guys are the future and you need to be involved now. If you're not involved now, then you're going to let old coots make all the decisions; they're going to be detrimental. Whereas the fresh new ideas, the fresh new perspectives on life, give me different perspectives that we don't see in our lifetime,” said Pattison.
I believe that you're our future leaders. And you know, it's the choices that are made today that set up tomorrow. You guys are the future and you need to be involved now. If you're not involved now, then you're going to let old coots make all the decisions; they're going to be detrimental.
Michael Pattison, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Michael Pattison is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
Jim Davis runs for mayor a second time with the same platform, maintaining his focus on affordability
Jim Davis could not be reached for comment on his campaign for mayor in the 2022 Hamilton municipal election. The following info included in this article pertaining to Davis's platform is found in his post on the Facebook page Vote Jim Davis 4 Mayor of Hamilton.
Davis ran in the 2018 mayoral election where he finished fourth. He is now running a second time with the same platform as he believes many of the same major issues from when he ran previously are still unresolved.
In the Facebook post stating his platform, Davis makes it clear that his priority is to make living in Hamilton more affordable.
His platform relies on city-run programs, including daycare, recreation and housing initiatives, to keep costs of living low and address the community’s concerns.
Davis believes the city should train current employees for new responsibilities and offer them a raise in pay instead of hiring new workers where possible. He notes that particularly when it comes to the city-run programs he’d like to develop, such as the daycare, there may be a necessity to hire new individuals.
Davis also pledges to keep streets safe by keeping one-way traffic, and reversing the decision made by Hamilton’s city council in May to convert Main Street to two-way traffic due to studies that consistently reported one-way streets led to more pedestrian deaths. In addition to preserving one-way streets, Davis plans on updating heavily travelled roads by laying concrete, which he claims will save the city money.
Jim Davis is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
The former leader of Ontario’s NDP, Horwath is running for mayor of Hamilton with an action plan to address long-standing issues in the city
The Silhouette sat down with mayoral candidate Andrea Horwath to discuss her current campaign and the most pressing issues for the 2022 Hamilton municipal election.
Horwath has a long political resume that starts with her position as Hamilton’s Ward 2 city councillor from 1997 to 2004. Then, in 2009 she was elected as leader of Ontario’s New Democratic Party, a position she held until 2022 when she stepped down and declared her intention to run for mayor of Hamilton.
“I had been the leader [of the Ontario NDP] for 13 years and I felt like it was time to pass the torch. I had done a lot of hard work. I was very proud of the work that I had done but there comes a time that you know that your leadership needs to be passed onto somebody else,” said Horwath.
Horwath’s platform addresses the issues Hamilton faces at length with her action plan that looks at making Hamilton a great place to live, work and raise a family. Horwath’s action plan includes increasing the affordability of Hamilton by working on the “missing middle” housing needed in Hamilton and creating a diverse economy by fostering film and agricultural sectors while collaborating with McMaster University and Mohawk College.
“We have to make sure people coming out of university can not only afford to live in our city, but there are opportunities for them. And that’s one of the other pieces that I speak to in my action plan. Let’s make sure that we are creating a vibrant economy that prioritizes people’s ability to make Hamilton their home,” said Horwath.
We have to make sure people coming out of university can not only afford to live in our city, but there are opportunities for them. And that’s one of the other pieces that I speak to in my action plan. Let’s make sure that we are creating a vibrant economy that prioritizes people’s ability to make Hamilton their home.
Andrea Horwath, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Horwath’s platform also pushes for better transportation by addressing the $2.3 billion infrastructure backlog of roads and sewers, as well as increasing HSR services in frequency and neighbourhoods public transit reaches. She spoke about denser development in Hamilton’s existing wards in order to halt urban sprawl and the expansion of Hamilton’s urban boundary. A large expansion of Hamilton’s urban boundary was voted against in a city council vote last November.
“We have some parts of our city that have no service whatsoever. People have no choice but to jump into a car and we need to turn that around,” said Horwath.
In addition to pushing for public transportation, Horwath’s platform focuses on how green livable neighbourhoods will be promoted using multiple strategies. Her action plan pledges to follow Hamilton’s Urban Forest Strategy for better urban forests and continue Hamilton’s Urban Indigenous Strategy under Indigenous leadership. Horwath also emphasized the importance of being transparent in progress made in the Climate Change Action Plan to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Following the pollution of Chedoke Creek, Horwath says that the city needs to rebuild trust with the public.
“I think that one of the really disappointing, not even disappointing, outrageous things that we've all been dealing with was the sewage leak into Cootes Paradise and that's unacceptable. Not only the fact that it happened, that it was going on for so many years, but the lack of transparency around how people found out about it. It's really about trust,” said Horwath.
Horwath spoke optimistically about the future of Hamilton and how she hoped to bring her experience to the position of mayor of Hamilton.
“I think Hamilton’s poised for a really great future. There’s so many amazing things happening. I just want to be able to use the experience, the knowledge, the networks, the capacity that I’ve built to help our city realize its potential,” said Horwath.
I think Hamilton’s poised for a really great future. There’s so many amazing things happening. I just want to be able to use the experience, the knowledge, the networks, the capacity that I’ve built to help our city realize its potential.
Andrea Horwath, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Horwath reminisced on her time at McMaster as a labour studies student and explained why she believes McMaster students should vote in Hamilton’s municipal election.
“What I would hope is that by engaging in what's happening at the municipal level, people who are attending McMaster University can learn more about what a great city this is,” said Horwath.
Andrea Horwath is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
Ejaz Butt’s platform focuses on supporting the unhoused community, building the LRT and fostering accountability at City Hall
The Silhouette sat down with Ejaz Butt to discuss his campaign for mayor in the 2022 Hamilton municipal election.
Butt first ran for mayor in the 2014 Hamilton municipal election. After years of being a proactive citizen in Hamilton politics, Butt discussed how he felt it was time to become involved and build his platform. He was particularly motivated to run for mayor and give back to the city after observing deficits in tax policies and a lack of transparency and accountability in Hamilton City Hall.
Many may recognize Butt from his unique car, which he has decked out in merchandise as advertisement for his campaign. Butt has been involved in the taxi industry for over 20 years and currently works as an Uber driver, providing him with many unique advertisement opportunities.
Butt has a 20 point campaign agenda which he explained was formulated based on feedback from citizens. A few significant focuses of this agenda include affordable housing and rent capping, investing in more shelter homes for the unhoused population and turning attention towards youth facing affordability challenges.
“Young professionals and entrepreneurs are facing an economic crisis due to volatile and high interest rates and affordability of housing. [The youth] need more attention at this time,” said Butt.
“Young professionals and entrepreneurs are facing an economic crisis due to volatile and high interest rates and affordability of housing. [The youth] need more attention at this time,”
Ejaz Butt, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Additional focuses of Butt’s campaign include updating police stations with more modern technology, revitalizing downtown areas, keeping urban boundaries firm, cleaning contaminated water and finishing the LRT project.
When discussing the LRT, Butt explained despite over a billion dollars put towards the project, very few results have been seen. It is important to Butt to ensure tax dollars are being put towards their appropriate use.
“The main problem is in City Hall, [specifically] in the planning and development department where most of the corruption is done. I may not root out the corruption, but at least I can reduce it. If elected, I will freeze the property taxes for four months, because we have already gone through a lot,” said Butt.
“The main problem is in City Hall, [specifically] in the planning and development department where most of the corruption is done. I may not root out the corruption, but at least I can reduce it. If elected, I will freeze the property taxes for four months, because we have already gone through a lot.”
Ejaz Butt, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Butt highlighted the ongoing housing crisis in Hamilton and the lack of resources available to combat the issue. He detailed how issues within shelters, such as unsafe environments or lack of security, also make these resources inaccessible for many citizens.
Lastly, Butt explained his campaign strives to centre Hamilton youth and their economic future. He expressed the urgency of addressing the housing and affordability crises as soon as possible, as remaining complicit will only harm young people entering the workforce, such as McMaster University students.
“The youth are leading us into the future. My generation has already done our time. If our young entrepreneurs are not looked after, we will see more homeless people on the streets,” said Butt.
“The youth are leading us into the future. My generation has already done our time. If our young entrepreneurs are not looked after, we will see more homeless people on the streets."
Ejaz Butt, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Ejaz Butt is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
Recently, Hamilton has seen an influx of craft breweries establishing themselves around the city. With craft beer on the rise, MERIT Brewing Company is one of the industry leaders, brewing locally in their space on 107 James St. North.
Co-founder of MERIT and McMaster alumnus, Tej Sandhu, wanted to create a communal, welcoming space by combining a tap room, brewery, kitchen and bottle shop.
“Really what we hope it is, is a space for community around [MERIT]. So much of what we built this place to be is to facilitate conversation, facilitate our community, and facilitate a great experience for people around these things that we love producing . . . in a space that is easy to get to, that is accessible, that’s inclusive, that is open and that is friendly and warm. Those are things that we had as our goal for what we wanted the space to be but for what we keep as our goals for everything we do as well,” said Sandhu.
MERIT Brewing Company on James Street North.
On Oct. 1, the Ontario Craft Brewers, a membership trade association that represents local breweries in Ontario, participated in a government roundtable in the Niagara region. The OCB represents the voices of approximately 30 per cent of craft breweries around Ontario
“We participated in the roundtable to provide our perspective and make sure the voice of local brewers is heard on potential changes to the alcohol system, which are critical to our future growth and success,” said the OCB via their Twitter account.
(1/2) The Ontario Government is currently consulting on potential reforms to Ontario’s beverage alcohol sector. As Niagara is home to many craft producers, the govt hosted a series of roundtables this weekend w/ reps from craft wineries, distillers, cideries, and breweries.
— Ontario Craft Brewers (@OntCraftBrewers) September 29, 2019
(2/2) We participated in the roundtable to provide our perspective and make sure the voice of local brewers is heard on potential changes to the alcohol system, which are critical to our future growth and success.
— Ontario Craft Brewers (@OntCraftBrewers) September 29, 2019
The association also shared photos with Sam Oosterhoff, a Progressive Conservative member of provincial parliament from the Niagara-West riding. Oosterhoff has claimed that he wants to remove abortion rights. Additionally, he has actively opposed Bill 128 — the All Families Are Equal act, a piece of legislation that removes the words "mother" and "father" in favour of gender-neutral terms allowing all parents to be treated equally. He continues to defend his socio-political beliefs when confronted by the media. The tweets promoting Oosterhoff with the OCB were taken down after being posted.
The original tweets posted by Ontario Craft Brewers following an event with Sam Oosterhoof and Ontario breweries. This tweet has since been removed off of the OCB Twitter account.
Ontario Craft Brewers tweeted this photo with Sam Oosterhoff at a roundtable event. The photo has since been removed off of the OCB Twitter account.
Although not an OCB member, MERIT Brewing Company released a statement about the OCB’s event via their Facebook page on Oct. 1.
“MERIT was not part of this discussion, nor are we members of the OCB, but we would like to say that we are unequivocally against the views of MPP Oosterhoff and outraged over the OCB’s decision to promote their work with him as some sort of gain for the industry or brushed off as part of their responsibility to work with the government,” said the statement.
MERIT turned their attention to the community that was being affected by the OCB’s statement. The team reflected on their values of creating a welcoming, diverse space but found that the industry association that indirectly represents them was doing the opposite.
“While working together with the government is a good thing — when there's someone whose beliefs, outside of beer . . . are directly attacking not only owners of the businesses but staff members, people who are our guests and our consumers, that really strikes a chord as something that . . . the OCB did without thinking [about] what the implications are,” said Sandhu. “. . . We were angry because even if you're not an OCB member, the OCB indirectly represents our industry. They are the only association that we have. Their stance [on] promotion and their communication is reflective of our entire industry in Ontario.”
The OCB has issued an apology on Twitter.
— Ontario Craft Brewers (@OntCraftBrewers) October 1, 2019
Sandhu emphasized that MERIT, and all members of the OCB, had the responsibility to hold higher organizations accountable for their actions.
While MERIT had voiced their concerns on an industry level, Sandhu also reflected on local level concerns in Hamilton.
On Oct. 1, as a part of Hamilton’s “Fast 40” initiative, local and fast-growing businesses were recognized for contributing to the city’s economic development. MERIT Brewing Company was one business amongst many to receive the award given by mayor Fred Eisenberger. In light of tensions between Eisenberger and the LGBTQA2S+ community, while MERIT claimed their reward, they left shortly before a photo opportunity with Eisenberger.
Merit Brewing Company has recently been recognized by the City of Hamilton for contributing to the city’s economic development.
“There has been a ton of conversation internally about the handling of the LGBT community, the mayor’s response to the concerns that have been raised and the threat to our staff that are part of the community as well. [Our] action wasn’t meant to be a massive ‘F-U’ to the mayor, it was a way we could ask for accountability. It was something that was small that we thought would have, at the very least, an impact on showing our staff and our guests that we are standing up for them and not standing with someone who isn’t protecting them,” said Sandhu.
MERIT Brewing Company does not see themselves as a voice for marginalized communities, but rather as a microphone that allows their voices be heard. MERIT felt that their action was a step towards greater accountability among local leaders.
Regardless, you don't take a picture of brewery owners smiling and raising a glass with this guy. It's horrible PR. pic.twitter.com/W7njlY6jMu
— Robin LeBlanc, from work (@TheThirstyWench) September 30, 2019
Eisenberger has asked to sit down and meet with MERIT. While the company did not confirm a meeting before this article was released, Sandhu hopes to open a door for members of the community to start communicating with the mayor.
“Conversation is not enough; action needs to follow a conversation . . . You still need to have conversations to get to action . . . We’re trying to do our part. It’s inherent and embedded in what MERIT’s about, from why we are called “MERIT” to what we strive to do here and have be our experience. This is something that we feel is not only our responsibility, it’s our privilege to be able to speak out on these things and it’s something that we are doing because we’re passionate about it,” said Sandu.
Local businesses like MERIT Brewing Company are lending their voice to members of marginalized communities in hopes of not only starting a conversation but also demanding action.
The Silhouette has reached out via email to Ontario Craft Brewers and the office of MPP Sam Oosterhoff for comment; however, we have not received a response.
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On Oct. 22, McMaster students headed to the polls, voting in their respective wards for councillor, mayoral and trustee candidates, respectively. Despite improvements overall for the city, the numbers suggest that student turnout continues to falter.
Overall turnout this year for the city was up from the 2014 municipal election turnout, with 38.6 per cent of eligible voters compared to 34.02 per cent casting a ballot.
Ward 1 also saw an increase in turnout with 8,944 ballots cast, resulting in a 42.52 per cent turnout. This is an improvement from 2014 and 2010, when turnout was at 40.74 per cent and 40.70 per cent, respectively.
Age and McMaster-specific voting stats are not available, but city-wide and poll-by-poll results in Ward 1 offer a glimpse into how many McMaster students voted.
Binkley United Church, Dalewood Elementary School and Temple Anshe Sholom are three of the closest polling stations to campus. In 2014, these three stations counted 1,725 combined votes. This election, that number was at 1,784.
However, this year, a new polling station at the Church of God Hamilton also registered 312 ballots.
McMaster has around 31,000 students. Even if all the votes at the four closest stations were students, the combined 2,096 votes cast at those polls is under 10 per cent of the student population. If only 10,000 Mac students live on campus or in student housing, 2,096 votes would still fall well short of 30 per cent turnout.
Because many students live in other wards and may have voted there, it is hard to measure student turnout completely accurately. However, the polling numbers seem to indicate that student turnout still remains low in student housing areas, with small to modest improvement from 2014 to 2018.
Before the election, the McMaster Students Union ran a MacVotes campaign to encourage students to head to the polls. On the day of, MacVotes continued tabling and walked students to the polling stations.
MSU vice president (Education) Stephanie Bertolo said that candidate campaign staff told MacVotes that a large number of voters at Dalewood Recreation Centre and Binkley United Church registered on the day of the election. Many of these were likely students who had never voted in Hamilton at their current address.
“Overall, I believe we ran a very successful campaign,” said Bertolo. “Many students engaged with the campaign both online and at our table, asking us questions about how to get out to vote.”
Nonetheless, the city-reported polling numbers suggest that the campaign was only somewhat successful in increasing student turnout, at least for this election. One way to potentially improve student turnout is to have more convenient polling stations for students.
During the 2006 municipal election, there was a polling station on campus. However, the station was pulled in 2010 and has not been reinstated since.
Newly elected Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson said in a statement after the election that she supports a McMaster polling station.
“Not having a voting poll at McMaster University campus is not in the best interest of our city, our nation or our democracy,” Wilson said. “We must normalize voting and make it easier, not more difficult.”
Despite the MacVotes team’s increased push to promote voting, it appears many students still opted not to vote. While the underlying factors and reasons for not voting are unclear, is is fair to say there is a lot of work still to be done to motivate students to get civically engaged.
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[spacer height="20px"]This past municipal election came with special significance.
It served as a pivotal moment for Hamilton, a moment that would decide whether the city would be moving forward with the $1 billion light rail transit system or not. While I’m grateful for those who fought tirelessly to bring something so obviously important to a city like Hamilton, I’m disappointed.
I’m disappointed that so few councillor candidates discussed the issue of affordable housing at length when today, Hamilton has the highest inflation rates in rental properties across Southern Ontario.
I’m disappointed that so few councillor candidates discussed the issue of poverty and homelessness in our city when poverty rates in Hamilton are higher than both the provincial and national averages.
I’m disappointed that so few councillor candidates discussed the surge in hate crimes in Hamilton, when the city has the highest rate of police-reported hate crimes in Canada.
Most of all, I’m disappointed that despite the fact that the city has conducted countless votes and approvals, the LRT turned into an election issue when the top mayoral challenger ran on a single-issue platform, leaving the other issues that the city faces in the dust.
Sure, there are a wide range of reasons to be against the LRT, but these reasons weren’t even touched throughout the campaign period of this election. Instead, those who were against the implementation used obvious lies to persuade voters, claiming the LRT is inaccessible, expensive and privately owned. All of these things can be so easily fact checked to prove otherwise.
Hamilton is a city with complex issues, from affordable housing, to poverty, to economic development or to the surge in hate crimes in our city. Implementing the LRT is not a complex issue, nor a debate. It’s an obvious choice, now let’s move on from this.
For a municipal election to turn into a referendum on whether or not we should be moving forward with the LRT says a lot about the “ambitious” city. Are we really that ambitious of a city if we’re afraid of change? More importantly, are we really that ambitious of a city if we’re not showing up for those who need us?
There are more prominent issues at the table to be so obsessive, yet divided, on a crucial investment for Hamilton. While I’m glad we can finally put this argument to rest, let’s work together to be the ambitious city that Hamilton needs.
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In only four days from now, McMaster students with a Hamilton address will have the opportunity to vote in the 2018 Hamilton municipal election. Here is a guide to the day of to help you find your way to a voting station and come armed with all the information you need to successfully cast your ballot.
The municipal election will take place on Oct. 22.
You have the chance to vote for the next mayor, Ward 1 city councillor and Ward 1 and 2 school board trustee.
If you are a Canadian citizen 18 or older and have a Hamilton address, you are eligible to vote in Hamilton.
As a student, you are eligible to vote both in your “home” municipality, if it is not Hamilton, and in the Hamilton municipality where you live. The bottom line is, if you have an address in Ward 1, temporary or permanent, you can vote in Ward 1. All you need is some ID that shows you live there.
Near McMaster and in the surrounding area. If you are in Ward 1, you have 11 polling stations. The closest station to McMaster is Church of God Hamilton at 265 Bowman Street. If you are coming from either the east or west side of Main Street, you can take the 5 to Main Street West and Emerson Street and walk from there or hop on the 51 to Whitney Avenue and Emerson Street.
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The polling station will be open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.
The nearest polling station to campus is a 25-minute walk from the McMaster University Student Centre. If you choose to bus from campus, you can take the 51 at Sterling Street and University Avenue to Whitney Avenue and Emerson Street. From there, it is a few minutes to Bowman Street and Willowcrest Avenue, where the church is located.
You will need to bring a document that shows your name and Ward 1 address.
Possible documents include:
A full list of documents can be found on the City of Hamilton website.
It is ultimately up to you. Below, you can find a list of online sources that highlight information on candidates and feature their respective platforms.
Ward 1:
- The Silhouette: www.thesil.ca/meet-your-ward-1-councillor-candidates
- The Hamilton Spectator: www.thespec.com/news-story/8891703-ward-1-information-for-hamilton-voters/
- The McMaster Students Union’s MacVotes campaign: www.msumcmaster.ca/macvotes/macvotes-municipal-elections-2018/ward-1-candidates
Mayor:
- The Hamilton Spectator: www.thespec.com/news-story/8894782-mayor-race-information-for-hamilton-voters/
- The McMaster Students Union’s MacVotes campaign: www.msumcmaster.ca/macvotes/macvotes-municipal-elections-2018/mayoral-candidates
Because you can and you should. Voting gives you an opportunity to exercise your democratic right and have the potential to impact what Hamilton will look today, tomorrow and in many years in the future. So do some research, get to the polling station, warm-up your ballot-checking fingers and cast a vote.
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