A healthy democracy is not a given.
Indeed, the most recent Global State of Democracy report issued by the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in September of 2024 found democracy around the world “in a state of persistent decline, with no signs of immediate recovery.”
The report found one in four countries had experienced improvements in the quality of their democratic practices in the reporting period, while four in nine were worse off. Areas of ranking are in representation, rights, rule of law and participation.
While democracy is not just about having the right to vote, it becomes more vulnerable generally if that right is not exercised. Everyone is urged to make the effort to cast a vote in the federal election now set for Monday, April 28. It’s a short timeline and people should ensure they are ready to vote, for starters. That means checking the elections.ca website and watching for future advertisements about voter eligibility, registration and other nuts and bolts of the process. For people who have voted in the same place in the past, or registered more recently, a voter registration card should be in the mail soon, which makes the process on voting day run as smooth as possible.
Another democratic effort gets underway locally, with North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) ratepayers asked to approve borrowing of up to $11.7 million to build a mandated new treatment plant at Maxwell Lake. Mail-in ballots are set to be mailed out this week. People can also vote in person on May 8 at Community Gospel Chapel. Ample information about the project is on the northsaltspringwaterworks.ca website, in the most recent newsletter and from NSSWD staff. Two open houses were held in February and March.
Integral to voting is becoming educated about issues, individuals or parties on a ballot. In these days of rampant misinformation, it takes a bit of time and a clear head to determine what is true or not, and who or what position best represents one’s interests and values.
Marking a ballot is the most basic part of democracy, hopefully undertaken with awareness of the impact of that vote.
We hope voter turnout for both our local NSSWD referendum and federal election will be high enough to give democracy the healthy boost of oxygen it needs.