There is a story unfolding at the ballot box.
Voter participation in municipal elections has not always reflected the scale, diversity and size of Etobicoke's population.
The 2021 Census counted 376, 237 residents in Etobicoke, of which 263,085 are eligible voters.
Yet in 2022, only 77,290 voters, or 29.4 per cent, cast a ballot.
This is a striking gap between the district’s population and voter turnout, according to city data.
We should be concerned about the low number of voters who turn out, or the high number of those who don’t.
Municipal government is about daily life: water, sewage, policing, transit, and garbage, fence heights and parking permits, and public health.
City data shows voter participation in 2022 ranged from just 24 per cent to 33 per cent, across all three wards.
Etobicoke North (Ward 1), represented by Vincent Crisanti, saw a saw a 24 per cent turnout.
Etobicoke-Centre (Ward 2), represented by Stephen Holyday, recorded a 30 per cent turnout, while in
Etobicoke-Lakeshore and (Ward 3), represented by Amber Morley, only 33 per cent turned out to cast a ballot.
In the 2022 election, Crisanti received 6,815 votes, Holyday got 18, 559 votes, and Morley received 15, 271.
Understanding the role of city council, knowing who represents a neighbourhood, finding information about candidates and policies, and simply knowing when and where to vote can all present their own barriers.
Municipalities can be difficult to navigate, particularly for someone who is voting for the first time.
It would be too easy to suggest voter apathy is the sole reason behind the low voting rates. There are other obstacles when looking beyond that. Considering the state our economy is in, people find themselves working multiple jobs who may find it difficult to get to the polls.
Renters and residents who have recently moved into the one of the wards may not be familiar with the local political landscape and what that entails.
Language and information barriers can make municipal elections even harder to follow along with.
The result is a disconnect in the democratic process, where the people who live in a community may not be fully or accurately represented by the people who turn out to vote.
Etobicoke political organizations, community groups and elected officials should be asking a broader question, than simply how to get out the vote on election day:
How do we build a culture of participation between elections?
That simply means making municipal politics easier to understand.
Providing information in the language residents speak, engagement through community initiatives and explaining why decisions at city hall matter to everyday life.
Whether it’s transit and housing to parks, potholes, roads, and local services such as garbage pickup and clean water.
Voter turnout is not simply a number on election night. It is a measure of how connected residents feel to the political system around them.
Etobicoke is changing.
Its communities are becoming more diverse, and many residents are bringing new experiences and perspectives to the neighbourhoods they now call home.
The next step is ensuring those voices are heard, and not just within communities, but also at the ballot box.
