[CliffFletcher]

Re: baffling voting outcomes

There’s a generational and education gap at work here. Most of us here get our political engagement online. We follow policy debates, twitter feeds, and forums like this. We see politics through a particular lens.

That’s not the way grass-roots politics works for older and less digitally-engaged citizens. Especially at the municipal level, politics is personal and hands-on for them. They vote for candidates who come to their door. Or to the potluck at a community centre. Or the seniors rec centre. Who shake their hands, smile, or speak to them personally on the phone.

That’s why political campaigning is hard work. You need a ground game - literally pounding the pavement, walking and shaking hands and making speeches to a rooms of 50, or 20, or 10 people. Remembering the names of the ones you met at the last pancake breakfast. That’s also why Chu’s ethnic background might play a part - he has likely met thousands of ethnic Chinese voters in his ward personally, and spoken their native language to the seniors.

And that’s why these candidates who we regard as crackpots can get elected and re-elected - they work their asses off in their ground game. They’re very good at reaching out to the voters who aren’t on twitter or reddit, and who are disposed to vote for someone who took the time to engage with them in person and make them feel recognized.