[PGT] Calgary Civic Election Results Discussion

[SebC]

Originally Posted by octothorp

However, some of those conservative voices are going to need to very carefully consider their positions going forward. Many of these voices are in neighbourhoods that voted heavily for Nenshi, and opposing his ideas will be a difficult political stand to make. In particular, Hodges, Stevenson, the afore-mentioned Pootmans and Mar (and to a lesser degree, Colley-Urquhart) will need to decide if they can afford to be seen as Nenshi's opponents.

Exactly why I think he can do it, and you put it eloquently. Mar in particular has to be careful... didn't win by much, even as an incumbent, over a more progressive candidate. And his ward has the highest level of Nenshi support.

In the older thread, Cowperson said that the only effective way to get people to do what you want is carrot-and-stick diplomacy. Well, the purple army is the stick. You can probably get away with voting against Nenshi, but you better be sure there aren't 7 others doing the same thing.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Mayoral race aside, where was the change that Calgarians "demanded"? It would appear that the general public would rather complain about city hall instead of actually changing it.

A little melodramatic, IMHO. Six new aldermen, and three incumbents that were still biting their fingernails by 10 or 11 pm, and a resounding GTFO to the perceived shoe-in mayor sounds a hell of a lot more encouraging than the way you wrote it.

The Nenshi mania may have been Obama-esque, but the message was not "change". It was his articulate ideas vs. ambiguity. I don't really recall "change" being the focal point.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by 4X4

A little melodramatic, IMHO. Six new aldermen, and three incumbents that were still biting their fingernails by 10 or 11 pm, and a resounding GTFO to the perceived shoe-in mayor sounds a hell of a lot more encouraging than the way you wrote it.

The Nenshi mania may have been Obama-esque, but the message was not "change". It was his articulate ideas vs. ambiguity. I don't really recall "change" being the focal point.

"change" was a media construct. Four of the new Alderman were a given because of the vacated seats...add in Ceci's retirement and you have one incumbent ousted.

I think Calgarians saw how important it was to go out and vote with Bronco leaving and wanted to make sure they made their voice heard. Nenshi ran a great campaign, but he did so through actually having a vision.

McIvor never said anything remotely controversial and that included actually having a vision about where this city should go. As a mayor, you cannot say no to everything; eventually, you need to do things. McIvor never gave an idea of what he stood for except for tax cuts - financially irresponsible and self serving with the City facing a 60 million dollar shortfall.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by 4X4

A little melodramatic, IMHO. Six new aldermen, and three incumbents that were still biting their fingernails by 10 or 11 pm, and a resounding GTFO to the perceived shoe-in mayor sounds a hell of a lot more encouraging than the way you wrote it.

Fair enough. I didn't intend to bring out the violin.

My perception of people's opinions going into the election was that the previous city council was dysfunctional, crooked, and needed to be cleaned out. Maybe I got roped into the simpletons on the comment sections of the news sites too much (I hate it when that happens!), but I just expected people to talk a little more with their vote in the aldermanic races. It seemed many people's opinions about issues like the bridge, snow removal, rising taxes, etc., albeit often uninformed and/or unrealistic, seemed to indicate that they'd use their votes to clean house. In the end we voted out two aldermen. Although you are quite right, a few of them got the scares of their careers.

Edit: And just to avoid any confusion, I was originally referring to the aldermanic races specifically.

[Bunk]

The media attention from across Canada about Nenshi is quite amazing. Lots of focus about him being muslim/vis. minority, but also how it is shattering stereotypes about the city - a positive by-product.

Good article from Toronto Star Urban Affairs critic Christopher Hume:

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/...st-young-voter

This National Post article also nails it:

This National Post article is also excellent:
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/...in-nenshi-win/

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Fair enough. I didn't intend to bring out the violin.

My perception of people's opinions going into the election was that the previous city council was dysfunctional, crooked, and needed to be cleaned out. Maybe I got roped into the simpletons on the comment sections of the news sites too much (I hate it when that happens!), but I just expected people to talk a little more with their vote in the aldermanic races. It seemed many people's opinions about issues like the bridge, snow removal, rising taxes, etc., albeit often uninformed and/or unrealistic, seemed to indicate that they'd use their votes to clean house. In the end we voted out two aldermen. Although you are quite right, a few of them got the scares of their careers.

Edit: And just to avoid any confusion, I was originally referring to the aldermanic races specifically.

I probably should have quoted a few posts instead of just yours because my comment was a little more general, and not necessarily directed at you. I just find it funny that prior to the election there was this huge Nenshi love-in, and now there seems to be this big anti Nenshi whinefest.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I probably should have quoted a few posts instead of just yours because my comment was a little more general, and not necessarily directed at you. I just find it funny that prior to the election there was this huge Nenshi love-in, and now there seems to be this big anti Nenshi whinefest.

The dissenters will always be louder.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Mayoral race aside, where was the change that Calgarians "demanded"? It would appear that the general public would rather complain about city hall instead of actually changing it.

I don't think it's very shocking that many Calgary voters thought their ward's alderman was doing fine and it was everyone else on council that needed to go.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Mayoral race aside, where was the change that Calgarians "demanded"? It would appear that the general public would rather complain about city hall instead of actually changing it.

Perhaps the challengers weren't good enough.

[Bunk]

I think it's safe to say Nenshi's victory has become somewhat of a national phenom. Stories littered all over the globe, post, Toronto Star, CBC The National, Global National - everywhere.

[Flames0910]

It was about revitalizing the level of conversation in the city. It was about talking to the person next to you on the bus, it was about taking an extra minute with the cashier at Safeway

I used this quote in an interview today

[malcolmk14]

Regarding the "ethnic northeast" stuff (because I've heard this more than once already today), Nenshi's support base was in wards 7 and 8. The inner city neighborhoods like Sunnyside, Killarney, Marda Loop, the Beltline.

Numbers from Wards 5 and 10 (ethnic northeast):

Of 34,350 voters:
Barb Higgins: 12,189 (35.48%)
Naheed Nenshi: 10,609 (30.89%)
Ric McIver: 10,508 (30.59%)

Numbers from wards 7 and 8 (inner city):

Of 47,250 voters:
Naheed Nenshi: 25,979 (54.98%)
Ric McIver: 10,413 (22.04%)
Barb Higgins: 9,620 (20.36%)

[Bigtime]

From The Herald:

[Slava]

^ Maps like that remind me that the coverage on election night was pathetic. The local TV stations should be ashamed of how they covered the election in general...no TV debate for the big 3, and then no coverage that night for the heart of the matter.

If I were running a TV station here I would've gone with full coverage, and the graphics and everything that makes the US presidential elections so fun to watch, even without skin in the game! (If you're a political junkie, anyway)

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Slava

^ Maps like that remind me that the coverage on election night was pathetic. The local TV stations should be ashamed of how they covered the election in general...no TV debate for the big 3, and then no coverage that night for the heart of the matter.

If I were running a TV station here I would've gone with full coverage, and the graphics and everything that makes the US presidential elections so fun to watch, even without skin in the game! (If you're a political junkie, anyway)

You wouldn't have just aired dancing with the stars? I'm so glad we had a big campaign to "Save Local TV" from the evil cable companies. Lucky for us that worked out, at least we had shaw 10 providing coverage of a hugely important local event.

[firebug]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

From The Herald:
BIG GRAPHIC

The station I scrutineered in Ward 12 (Prestwick - 1205) was a bit tighter race for Mayor than it was in the rest of the ward.

McIver 45%
Nenshi 34%
Higgins 20%

Especially after a counting error i detected moved 50 votes from one candidate to another.

We had a busy night there, >2,200 ballots cast.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by Slava

^ Maps like that remind me that the coverage on election night was pathetic. The local TV stations should be ashamed of how they covered the election in general...no TV debate for the big 3, and then no coverage that night for the heart of the matter.

If I were running a TV station here I would've gone with full coverage, and the graphics and everything that makes the US presidential elections so fun to watch, even without skin in the game! (If you're a political junkie, anyway)

The no debate with the top three had more to do with Higgin's not wanting to participate.

[Cowboy89]

Upon looking at the map of the wards I can't help but wonder if wards 7,8,9 are gerrymandering efforts (Especially Ward 7). You can't tell me the people of Dalhousie have more civic issues in common with Sunnyside than Edgemont.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

The no debate with the top three had more to do with Higgin's not wanting to participate.

I just don't believe that though. If one of the stations just said "We're hosting this debate and its October 12th at 7pm". Then she could either show up and do the debate or not. That is how any forum works, or any event for that matter.

The TV stations just plain dropped the ball here, and didn't want to give up dancing with the stars or their other prime time schedule to do it.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

From The Herald:

Spoiler!

I prefer this election map:

Big image, so spoiler tag used.

Spoiler!

From "labradore": http://labradore.blogspot.com/2010/1...e-greeter.html