Friday, August 22, 2014

2014 Election Survey Results

Earlier this week, I ran a 5 question survey in relation to the 2014 Civic Election.  Of the 4 day survey, I received 67 responses

The results are:

1) Will you be voting in the Nov 15th civic election?

Yes - 61
No - 6

2) Are you currently satisfied with your current Elected Official (Area Director, Councillor, Mayor or School Trustee)?

Yes - 7
No - 60

3) If an election were held in Quesnel tomorrow, who would you vote for Mayor?

Mary Sjostrom - 6
Bob Simpson - 4
None of the above - 1

4) If an election were held in Williams Lake tomorrow, who would you vote for Mayor?

Surinderpal Rathor - 32
None of the above - 19
Walt Cobb - 12
Kerry Cook (Incumbent) - 4

5) Which issue(s) will guide your vote in the election?

a) Management of Local Gov't Affairs - 28
b) State of Local Gov't Finances - 13
c) Economy - 12
d) Other - 9 (Corruption, Civic Pride, Business Development, Understanding Local Issues, Vision)
e) Crime - 5

A few things to note:

a) The responses represent a very small fraction of votes cast in either the Williams Lake/Quesnel Civic Elections last held in 2011

b) Survey, like Polls, are typically a 'snapshot' in time and rarely represent the final Election result

c) Candidates performance in an election can sway the final vote of the voter and we still have roughly 60 days to go on that count... Candidates for Mayor in Quesnel/Williams Lake have not made their campaign platforms known and the details of those platforms can sway voters as can how Mayoral Candidates perform in "All Candidates Forums".  Kerry Cook is not 'down and out' but her actual chances of winning depend on what she campaigns on and how her opponents campaign...

Today - potential candidates in Quesnel/Williams Lake may pick up their nomination papers, although they won't be able to legally file until Sept 30th to Oct 10th

Finally - as of this writing, the election races are:

Wells:

Mayor - Robin Sharpe (Incumbent).  No challengers to date
Councillor - No word if incumbents are running.  No challengers known

Quesnel:

Mayor - Mary Sjostrom (Incumbent) vs Bob Simpson.  No other challengers so far
Councillor - No word if incumbents are running.  No challengers known although I expect Councillors Cave, Coleman, Thapar, Roodenburg, Brisco, and Elliot to run unless they make an announcement to the contrary 

Williams Lake:

Mayor - Kerry Cook (incumbent) vs Surinderpal Rathor (challenger) with possible challenges from former Mayors Walt Cobb and Scott Nelson

Councillors - No official announcements although I expect that Councillors Bonnell, Walters and Zacharias will run for re-election.  As of challengers - my 'working' list of potential names stands at 8

100 Mile House: 

Mayor - Mitch Campsall (Incumbent) vs Maureen Pinkney (Challenger).  No other challengers known
Councillor - Len Doucette (challenger).  No word if incumbents are running.  No other challengers known

Cariboo Regional District:

No word on Directors for Areas A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J and K running for re-election or retiring. 

Area 'L' Director Bruce Rattray to retire.  No known names to take over.  Area 'D' Director Deb Bischoff to retire.  Area 'D' Alternate Director Steve Forseth seeks to take over

School District #27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin):

No official word.  Zone 1 Trustee Will Van Osch already served notice that he would not seek re-election this fall.  No word from other Trustees.  Aside of Trustee Van Osch, I expect two other Trustees to retire.  No challengers to the 7 Zones on the SD27 Board of Education

School District #28 (Quesnel)

No official word.  Expect the 7 incumbents to run unless an announcement is made to the contrary

~SF

7 comments:

Responding Accordingly! said...

Perhaps Mayor Cook and the current Council should stop listening to their friends (who will tell them what they want to hear)and stop the ongoing public humiliation and fade away..the message in the poll is for y'all.

Anonymous said...

Egads... Nelson again?!? Sorry, but I'd rather the Queen ANY day over an Oompa Loompa.

Debbie Powers Barron said...

I would sooner be at the tail end of a north bound cow than to vote for Carrie Cook or any like minded city counsellor. The veil of secrecy that has been maintained during her administration is dishonest and manipulative. We are the employers and critical information has been kept from us. I am referring to the current lawsuit and poor relationship between city hall management and some of our employees. Surinderpal Rather has been open and honest. He has years of experience on city counsel and is more than willing to spend time with us citizens. He has weathered a lot of storms during his years and I can say, some ridicule from at least one of his associates in City Hall (I don't need to name names). My husband witnessed it. Surinderpal took it all in stride. I know that he has a generous nature and when Mayor, will let bygones be bygones, the true hallmark of a professional. Sue, Ivan, you have my vote. Will decide on the rest later.

Eddy Burke said...

Debbie Powers Barron I hope you will reserve judgement on who gets your vote in the upcoming election until ALL the facts are out in the open. yes,at the present time Surinder is the best candidate for Mayor and I think it may be well deserved ,however I feel your endorsement for Ivan and Sue are premature. In the lead up to the election when more information is made available to the voters of Williams Lake,you may reconsider your support for any current member of city council.

Anonymous said...

If there is a glimmer of hope that Scott Nelson would consider the challenge of pulling this city out of the dumpster (again) we should all be running to the polls. I am a relative newbie, only 25 years living here so the rumours and bashing have not had any effect on the admiration I have for this man. Running a city is business, big business. Does it not make sense when a willing SUCCESSFUL business person steps up to this challenge. We certainly would save the embarrassment of rebranding ourselves , hiring and firing city employees, oh and of course the legal bills that follow. Please run for office Mr.Nelson WE NEED YOU!

Anonymous said...

It is Twila, Scott's partner and wife who has made him the successful business man he is today, she is the unsung hero...way to go Twila!

Anonymous said...

Twila for Mayor !