I'll buy the suggestion they're all free thinkers, but I'm less inclined to bite on the notion of their so-called independence.
It's become a trend in municipal politics in these parts for candidates to bill themselves as independents even if they sport running mates and have created a moniker for that alliance. Voters shouldn't confuse such affiliation for a slate or a party, we're told, because it's simply a case of like-minded independents running together.
I hope the rest of their platform makes more sense.
I can only presume that party politics carry such a negative connotation that candidates do their best to distance themselves from that unwanted characterization. Even though these formal alliances are out of fashion, I believe there's definitely something to be said for slates, which can aid both political hopefuls as well as voters tasked with deciding who gets elected.
Alliances allow those seeking office to share costs and pool support so aligning with those of a similar mind makes practical sense, particularly for those trying to break through for the first time.
I'm not sure Vicki Huntington would have got elected to Delta council back in the '90s if she hadn't been part of the formidable IDEA ticket, while both Guy Gentner and Scott Hamilton unsuccessfully tried the independent route before hitting pay dirt with Lois Jackson's TriDelta slate. All three have since gone on to provincial politics, but it's entirely possible none of them would have enjoyed a political career had it not been for fortuitous alliances at the outset.
Slates can also be a godsend for voters, who often struggle during municipal election campaigns because there are so many candidates seeking office. Knowing that a newcomer is aligned with a certain incumbent provides voters with some sense of who they are without having to do a lot of homework, which, if we're being honest, few will take the time to do. Slates help make sense of it all.
One drawback to that, which has likely helped spur the independence movement, is a growing disdain for block voting. One of the great things about local government is the absence of party discipline, which allows politicians to vote as they see fit rather than being told what they will and won't support.
Forging these don't-call-it-a-party alliances but still maintaining some form of independence would appear to provide candidates with the best of both worlds.
Or at least that's the theory.
