Increased citizen engagement and improved voter turnout for this year’s federal election are the goals of an election website launched by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB).
No Vote, No Voice is a free non-partisan “virtual podium” for electoral candidates running in the four ridings that comprise the VIREB area: North Island-Powell River, Courtenay-Alberni, Nanaimo-Ladysmith, and Cowichan-Malahat-Langford. Voters can obtain details on a particular candidate at www.novotenovoice.ca.
“As Canadian citizens, we enjoy the right to vote, a privilege that individuals in many other countries can only envy,” says VIREB President Jason Finlayson. “However, voter turnout in B.C. has traditionally been low. We believe No Vote, No Voice will encourage more Vancouver Island residents to participate in the democratic process by providing candidate information on one online portal.”
Offered during British Columbia’s 2013 provincial election and 2014 municipal elections, No Vote, No Voice gives candidates an opportunity to tell their story to voters irrespective of financial resources or technical expertise.
The site includes an interactive map with the various ridings to ensure people can find their local candidates quickly, and it works equally well on desktop computers and mobile devices.
“By providing this level of 24/7 exposure, we offer voters a powerful resource to help them make informed choices on Election Day,” notes Finlayson. All candidates running in the VIREB area have been invited to participate in No Vote, No Voice.
As in previous elections, VIREB has teamed up with Black Press and Island Radio to promote the website.
“We’ve also approached municipalities, chambers of commerce, and other community stakeholders to help spread the word,” says Finlayson.
To see the website in action, visit www.novotenovoice.ca. If you are a candidate interested in being featured, they ask you to send them an email to novotenovoice@vireb.com.
