“Mussallem says his re-election as well as four incumbent councillors is a sign that people want to see a continued consistency when it comes to the operations at City Hall”
Or, maybe there just wasn’t anyone else in the running that people had a burning interest in.
Full account of the Mayor’s re-election thoughts from CJFW
cjfw.ca/News/Story.aspx?ID=1577044
Hope he isn’t taking his re-election as an endorsement of his political acumen and/or personal touch.
What else could it be? It’s not like the other candidates for mayor were so bad that the only thing to do was vote in Mussallem. We talk about messages being sent to our elected officials by our vote, what message did Prince Rupert send the mayor’s office other than that they want more of the same? I don’t think he was the best choice, but we chose him. How else does he interpret such a clear victory?
It doesn’t help that only some 30 % of voters actually voted, shows that most town folk really just don’t give a s***!
It’s not just town folk. No one seems to give a shit anymore… Sad. Really really sad.
Well 30% of us do care. We participated in the process. Democracy works. 
I only voted because there was an advance poll set up at the hospital and I just happened to be there for an appointment.
I voted for very few… I did pick our current Mayor as he was the best choice of those who ran. I would not have bothered to go to the civic centre and vote because Prince Rupert’s challenges are far beyond any council’s reach, and I believe that it does not matter who gets in nothing will change for the forseeable future. I can well understand only a turnout of 30% most people who run for council have the best of intentions but no real power to change a thing…
It was closer to 35% which was about the provincial average so it isn’t just Rupert. And most municipalities returned incumbents. Only going by my memory of the Vancouver Sun summary of the elections, but I think the places that did defeat an incumbent mayor (Abbottsford?) there were also some big issue involving taxes or what have you.
As much as we complain about taxes, none of the candidates made it an issue.
I have never figured out the reason for the low turnout in any election but particularly civic elections. Going to vote is such a relatively easy thing to do, especially with the number of advance polls.
And why is the turnout so low in civic elections. More than 50% of us vote in provincial and federal elections where we have one candidate who we may not even know, who may live in another community, who represents us on things we have little control over.
Only 35% of us vote for up to 13 candidates (almost impossible not to know someone you like) for things that we do have some control over. At least we know the people to talk to and can see on a fairly regular basis.
I am sure it has something to do with party politics that makes us want to vote Liberal, Conservative, NDP and not just the candidate. More than anything I think that is kind of sad.
Well the age old debate of what the populace would prefer given the choice of a giant douche or a shit sandwhich has been answered. Its giant douche by a landslide. (No offence intended towards the runners up youre probably all great people)
You get the government you deserve, never the government you need