On October 26th, Torontonians will choose a mayor, city councillors and school trustees. The decisions they make on our behalf touch our lives in numerous and important ways.
The mayor and city council set budgets, write bylaws, oversee public safety and manage social services. School trustees influence school policies including curriculum priorities and are responsible for ensuring the safety of public schools.
In light of this reality, Beth Tzedec has joined a coalition of Toronto synagogues*, spanning the denominational spectrum, united around a single message: your vote matters. I encourage you to get to know your candidates – who they are and what they believe in, so that you can make an informed choice when you mark your ballot.
The history of municipal elections since 2000 indicates that voter turnout has averaged 41% of eligible Toronto residents.
In the 2023 mayoral by-election, 37% of eligible voters cast a ballot – and 13.8% of eligible voters – or 269,000 out of 1,947,000 eligible voters elected the mayor.
In the 2022 municipal election, the margin of victory in 6 city councillor and 9 school trustee races was less than 10% of total votes cast.
These statistics strongly suggest that your vote can influence the outcome of the upcoming election. Your one vote, the votes of one household, one residential building, one community, truly can make a difference.
To learn more about how you can make a difference this election, visit voteand.ca.
Please exercise your right to vote on October 26th or at the advance polls from October 6th to October 11th. We’ve been given a voice. This city belongs to all of us. Add your voice and be heard.
Sincerely,
Brian Segal
President, Beth Tzedec Congregation