Why don't you care?

I was grumpy when my boss saddled me with the heavy responsibility of manning a municipal election site.

Who cares about municipal politics? I thought.

Then I thought, why the hell don't people care about municipal politics?

If there is anything we were taught in journalism school, it was that people are most interested and passionate about whatever is happening in the vicinity of their home. The closer, the more interested.

So, shouldn't municipal politics bring a flood of voters to the polls? City councillors are the ones who are going to fight to keep garbage dumps from setting up beside your backyard, make sure you get that new bus route as promised, and keep your streets clean.

It doesn't get any closer than that.

Yet, a dismal 38 per cent of eligible voters actually cast their ballot in the 2003 municipal election in Toronto.

Are you bored yet? Are you about to shut this page down thinking what the hell do I have to gain?

You're right. Most of you aren't even property owners. What do you care? It's all the same in the end.

But why don't property owners care?

Is it:

a. they don't think electing a city councillor will make a difference?
b. they don't have time to ponder the candidates?
c. they can't find the information they need?

I think it's a combination. I, for the life of me, can't find the information I need in the time I have. And what does it matter anyways? when have I seen tangible evidence of what they've done for me?

So, then the question is: how do I make people care enough to check out the special election website I'm spending hours making? Is it wasted time?

I hope not. We should care, dammit.