(Elect 1)
Your ward councillor sits on your city council.
Local municipalities deal with issues such as public parks, fire departments, and building inspections. Read more on the Municipal Government Overview page.
Debates and all-candidates meetings are interactive events where candidates running for a position answer rounds of questions. They allow you to compare candidates side by side, and are the most effective way to quickly compare candidates.
If you don’t have time to watch an entire recording, watch 2-3 rounds of questions in the middle of the meeting. Alternatively, you can listen to the audio of a debate like a podcast while walking or doing chores.
Advocacy groups often publish questionnaires that allow you to compare candidates side by side. Pay careful attention to how questions are framed, and how this reflects the positions and philosophies of the advocacy groups.
Candidate profiles allow you to read responses from different candidates side by side. They allow you to compare candidates based on their backgrounds and experiences. Often they will not tell you how candidates would address specific issues.