Calgary Civic Election Poll #1: Who do you support for Mayor?

[Muta]

That Craig Chandler guy is a huge . What an immature, uneducated redneck. It's obivous he's a right-wing Christian conservative nutjob; what's even weirder is that he's a campaign manager for someone. And this guy once managed Ric McIver's campaign? Yikes!

He says he's about to release a 'nuke' before the election? Unless Nenshi killed someone and Chandler is the only guy that knows, he's got nothing. NOTHING. If he resorts to slander and false defamation of character of Nenshi, I hope the citizens of this city are smart enough to see through that charade.

Nenshi talks about improving public transit. Chandler talks about Nenshi being a bigot, a 'christanophobic' and a communist. I seriously have to LOL at this, sounds like jealousy and anxiety. If people can't see this for what it is, they should keep their heads in the sand.

[Joborule]

The more I hear about Nenshi plans, the more I think I'm going to vote for him. He's echoing the same thoughts I have.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Muta

He says he's about to release a 'nuke' before the election? Unless Nenshi killed someone and Chandler is the only guy that knows, he's got nothing. NOTHING. If he resorts to slander and false defamation of character of Nenshi, I hope the citizens of this city are smart enough to see through that charade.

There's a thing or two out there on Nenshi that I don't believe is widely known. Some people will care, some people won't, but it would definitely be news. And Chandler would be a grade-A jerk for bringing it forward, but it would fit with his background, character, and values by the looks of it.

[flamingreen]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I think Jiri was merely saying that dumb people see McIver as a good guy because he is always against all the perceived 'waste' items.

Sad thing is, he is for nothing, just against it all. He has no solutions or good plans himself.

Except for bold he loves bold text.

He does.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by kermitology

While McIver is in the newspaper, Nenshi is all over twitter.

I saw a chart done by a guy on facebook earlier today, and Nenshi has less followers than a few on twitter, less friends than a few on facebook and less on Linked In. Sure he might be on there all the time, but does that add up to more votes?

I am a friend and follower as well and have already said I'm voting for Kent Hehr...presumably there are friends and followers there for all of these guys that don't translate into votes.

Lastly, the twitter thing is overblown. Sure Naheeds on there a lot, and puts out some useful stuff, but there are a lot of useless pieces of info in there as well...

[getbak]

It looks pretty close to a foregone conclusion that Barb Higgins will be running for mayor: http://communities.canada.com/calgar...unning-ca.aspx

The web domains are registered but not yet active. Presumably, the announcement will come next week. It'll be interesting to see what her platform is, but right now, she certainly has the recognizability and likability that no one else can even come close to.

If it comes down to a popularity contest (and it usually does), she'll have the inside track unless someone like Lanny, Iginla, or Buck Shot throw their (battered cowboy) hats into the ring.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by getbak

It looks pretty close to a foregone conclusion that Barb Higgins will be running for mayor: http://communities.canada.com/calgar...unning-ca.aspx

The web domains are registered but not yet active. Presumably, the announcement will come next week. It'll be interesting to see what her platform is, but right now, she certainly has the recognizability and likability that no one else can even come close to.

If it comes down to a popularity contest (and it usually does), she'll have the inside track unless someone like Lanny, Iginla, or Buck Shot throw their (battered cowboy) hats into the ring.

While name recognition is important, I do wonder whether that will translate for her. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but really she reads the news....thats it. I'm sure she is smart enough and all that, but what in the world would qualify her to run what is basically an enormous corporation?

[mariners_fever]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Yeah, he sure tries to distance himself - with good reason.

But the mere fact that Chandler continually expresses that Ric is the guy he wants to get elected, tells you something about the politics of Ric.

Chandler supporting Ric says little to nothing of McIver's politics. He has to support someone. Chandler also supports Danielle Smith after she defeated his candidate for the WAP leadership but that doesn't say anything about her politics. The fact that Ric got Chandler away from him 10-years ago when he realized exactly who he was says more about McIver's politics than Chandler trying to cling to him does. Chandler's only clinging to Ric because his name power is at an all-time high and he thinks he can use that to his advantage with his PGIB slate. Especially with Peter Demong who's running close to McIver's old ward.

What Chandler forgets is that he constantly makes himself bigger than his candidates when the manager should always be the least visible person on the campaign.

As for Kent Hehr, trying to become mayor is counter-productive for what his issues are and he's been that way ever since he entered politics. While I actually have a great deal of respect for Hehr, his big issue is crime. Criminal law and the direct policies therein are a matter of federal jurisdiction. As an MLA, he can do absolutely nothing about stiffening penalties for gun and gang crime and as mayor he can do only slightly more in reallocating resources within the force and getting less traffic cops and more crime cops.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by mariners_fever

As an MLA, he can do absolutely nothing about stiffening penalties for gun and gang crime and as mayor he can do only slightly more in reallocating resources within the force and getting less traffic cops and more crime cops.

He just got my vote!

[mariners_fever]

Originally Posted by Ducay

He just got my vote!

AHHH but I said that's all he COULD do, not that he WOULD do it. His platform is more cops but doesn't make any specification as to what kind.

I've been increasingly frustrated with the amount of traffic cops in this city. Not that I want to be able to drive like an idiot anytime I want, but there comes a time when it becomes overkill and as opposed to people respecting their presence, they treat it as a joke as a result. It's incredibly frustrating because they are confined to only dealing with traffic. There could be a drug deal happening next to them as they're issuing a ticket and their reply would be that dealing with the drugs next to them isn't part of their responsibility and that it's up to a crime cop.

I want a mayor that will change that. Hehr hasn't committed to doing so yet.

[Bunk]

Regarding Barb Higgins, if she's entering I'd imagine her biggest impact right away will be to erode the support purely from name recognition that Ric McIver is currently riding.

The "hey, I've actually heard of that person" vote (when asked in a public opinion poll) from the average Calgarian that pays very little attention to civic politics will then be split between Higgins and McIver.

People will only really start paying attention to actual issues, policies and leadership qualities much closer to the election. As clearly the most substantive candidate Nenshi has managed to gather a lot of support from the so-called "super-engaged" which is his necessary first step. He has the pool of volunteers and fundraising momentum that can propel him to be viewed as one of the contenders come the later stages of that campaign, at which point people will start paying greater attention and align their support with one of the leading contenders whom they agree with most and think can actually lead the city. People like Higgins and McIver are in the opposite position - starting from a position of being well-known and having to prove themselves under greater scrutiny as someone who actually knows what their doing being leader a city of a million + with multi-billion dollar budgets.

It will be an interesting campaign.

[Vox]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Keep in mind that a partner in the firm that conducted the survey, Devin Iverson, is also McIver's campaign manager.

Ummmm, this is incorrect. But no worries.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Vox

Ummmm, this is incorrect. But no worries.

Meh. Heard it on the grapevine. Oh well.

[CaramonLS]

Was on 17th last night and saw Kent Hehr closing down Morgan's. He was a little cut.

Nice guy, talked with him for a bit too.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by fotze

Is Mciver really the front runner in the polls?

He is if the poll is hosted on ricmciver.ca, and even then he doesn't have an outright majority... i.e. might be losing under instant run-off.

[octothorp]

I've been thinking about volunteering for one of the candidates (it would be the first time in my life that I volunteered for any sort of political movement). What sort of activities are election volunteers usually asked to do?

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by octothorp

I've been thinking about volunteering for one of the candidates (it would be the first time in my life that I volunteered for any sort of political movement). What sort of activities are election volunteers usually asked to do?

There's lots of things you can do. Anything from helping drive around delivering lawn signs, to just showing up to an event in a candidate t-shirt and handing out brochures, or working phones soliciting donations. If you have specific talents that can contribute to producing campaign material and so forth. Any help you want to offer, candidates will likely accept. Just contact the volunteer coordinator and have a chat.

[kermitology]

Barb Higgins makes her announcement official..

Still not going to vote for her.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Higgins...559/story.html

[Bunk]

Wonder what her platform details will be, or will she be totally vague and run on her recognition primarily? Either way, McIver doesn't enjoy the name recognition advantage alone anymore.

[Regulator75]

McIver doesn't enjoy much of anything.