How to Vote For Councillors
Posted by auroracitizen on October 8, 2010
We have heard and read a number of comments about which 8 Councillors to vote for.
Many folks are confused when it comes to voting for Councillors. They are mistakenly under the assumption that you must vote for 8 Councillors.
Not True.
You can vote for “up to eight” Councillors. So only vote for the Councillors you truly want elected.
Let’s say you really like 6 Councillors and aren’t sure about some others. If you add a couple maybes to round out the eight, you have effectively cancelled out the votes for the 6 Councillors you really want. Your favoured Councillors no longer have the advantage over the other 2 maybes — they are all even again.
So you only need to vote for the Councillors you really want.
Each vote is precious — so whether you vote for 1 or 8, make sure it’s only the ones you want.
Aurora Citizen 
Sally-Mander said
I’m new to the blog. My mother told me about it and it’s GREAT!
I’ve chosen my votes:
Dawe, Geoff
Abel, John
Buck, Evelyn
Cohen, Roy
Duff, Brian
Hart, Milton
Moore, Darryl
Pirri, Paul
Thompson, Michael
That’s how I’d like to see our new government stack up.
Richard Johnson said
Good picks !!!
KA-NON said
For fun, here are the candidates that you are not voting for.
Al Wilson
Chris Ballard
Evelina MacEachren
Helen Power
Jim Abram
Keith Munro
Sandra Humfryes
Stephen Granger
Wendy Gaertner
I would not swap a single person. I do believe that you have got it right on the money.
KA-NON said
oops, I missed John Gallo.
My assessment remains the same.
A for Anonymous said
Don’t agree with Roy Cohen but not sure of the other options.
Anonymous said
I know that she has a real following here as the hard-done-by supporter of free speech rights, but I would advise that you take a serious look at re-electing Buck.
She does not tell the full story when she recounts things. She is not the type of person to embrace change and is not flexible.
Do you want a councillor that only works during the prescribed hours?
She is not a team player.
This Town has changed – she is unwilling to accept it.
Pffft! said
“She is not the type of person to embrace change…”
Um, who was the first elected official in Aurora to “embrace” the new social media of blogging? Oh yeah, the octogenarian one.
Elizabeth Bishenden said
I have to admit I am of a different mind from some of these posts.
I love a few of the council candidates. I truly dislike some of them.
Let’s say I pick three I like. I still have five more votes. So then I would say I have to choose among the ones I dislike the least.
My opinion is that if ordinary citizens don’t vote, I don’t believe our town is working democratically. I believe that all Aurora voters should use every vote and voice you have in this election.
Anonymously Yours said
Here is my understanding of the subject. And I may be wrong. If you vote for one councillor, they receive all 8 of your potential votes. If you vote for Two, they receive four each. four receive two votes. and 8 receive one vote.
If I vote for 3 however, then they each receive two votes each and two of my votes aren’t counted. If I vote for 5,then each receive one vote and 3 of my votes are left unaccounted for.
For that reason, it might be wisest to try and keep my votes cast in one two fours and eights.
auroracitizen said
For each vote you cast, the Councillor only receives 1 vote. If you only vote for 6, then 2 of your votes are not cast and each Councillor receives 1 vote.
This issue is that if you vote for a maybe — then they may beat the person you really want because you have given them an extra vote they wouldn’t have recieved otherwise.
On the other hand they may beat someone you don’t want.
It’s a tough choice.
Mr. Spock said
In regards to Anonymously Yours’ comments,
Now I’ve heard everthing.
Please, will somebody institute an IQ test for voters?
Before it’s too late…
Anonymous said
But first Mr.Spock, an IQ test for incumbents.
L Moore said
Voters should consider voting for a full slate of eight councillor candidates because if you only vote for a few, the chances of (unwanted) encumbents being returned is greater. A recent letter in the Auroran on this subject made me stop and re-examine my own position on this – perhaps the moderator will post a link to the letter if at all possible.
I urge voters to educate themselves, vote a full slate and advise their family and friends to do the same.
Knowledgeable in Aurora said
This is my understanding as well. If you truly don’t want someone on Council (whether it’s an incumbant or a new candidate) you must pick 8 others or it leaves opportunity for those you don’t want.
Jack said
In previous elections I have always only voted for the candidates that I wanted to get in. Often less than 8. Strategic voting this time will be to block those that I prefer not to get in by fully using all 8 of my selections.
Richard Johnson said
I’ve got five solid picks for council and if I don’t know who else to vote for then that will be it. No point in shooting darts for a job that could have such serious implications.
My message would be to vote for a clean slate (i.e. NO incumbents) with the exception that you may want to send a message to MacMor (MacEachern – Morris) and vote for someone who stood up for her beliefs despite the odds (even if you may not have agreed on every stance). Real integrity is the real issue here, as is freedom of speech.
Good people can do good things without the poison and we have witnessed far too much poison.