We’re one month into 2018 and RaBIT is already busy getting ready to make ranked ballots a hot topic in next fall’s municipal election. Read on for three important updates about how what we’re working on - and how you can help out.
RaBIT is Blogging!
2018 is going to be a big opportunity to get ranked ballots back on the agenda in Toronto. If we tell a compelling story about why ranked ballots matter, we can help elect a Mayor and City Council who are more likely to implement ranked ballots in Toronto before the next election.
Step one is making sure there is reliable, high-quality information about ranked ballots and their benefits available to the general public. So - we’re launching a blog!
There are a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions about ranked ballots that get thrown around during election campaigns, and RaBIT wants to provide a resource to counter this.
Our first post is about why our current voting system is in serious need of a change. We’ll be providing new blog posts every few weeks between now and the election in October. Share them with your friends and family - the more people who know about ranked ballots, the more likely we are to get attention in this upcoming election.
RaBIT’s Monthly Meetup
To make a difference in 2018 we need to build a strong team that can get the work done. Can you make it to our next monthly meetup? Here are the details:
When: Monday, 12 February, 6:20pm
Where: 439 University Ave (right by St Patrick Station on the east side of University Ave). We’ll be meeting in the lobby of the building at 6.20pm.
RSVP: Email [email protected] if you are interested in coming so we can send you more info.
At the meeting we’ll be continuing to work on our plan for identifying priority wards for the next election and developing materials and resources for volunteers to use to help raise the profile of ranked ballots during the campaign. We’ll also be discussing a few new projects - for example, opportunities to get involved in writing blog posts and helping organize some upcoming RaBIT events.
Ranked Ballots Roadshow Event
RaBIT is also excited to announce that we will be co-hosting the Toronto leg of the 4 city Ranked Ballots Roadshow on February 28th at the University of Toronto’s downtown campus. The event is also hosted by our friends at Unlock Democracy and the School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Toronto. More specific details will be forthcoming soon - but make sure you save the date now and RSVP on the Facebook page to stay updated.
The evening will feature Jeanne Massey and Mike Giffins from FairVote Minnesota - one of the most successful ranked ballot campaigns in North America as well as Cynthia Terrell, the Executive Director of Representation 2020, an organization focused on advancing institutional reforms that enable women to run, win, and lead in elective office in the USA.
We’re also excited to be hosting some more local speakers from:
- The School of Public Policy and Governance who will speak about their recent report on how City Hall can be reformed and made more effective.
- Women Win Toronto - an organization dedicated to training and preparing women from diverse backgrounds (including trans and gender non-conforming individuals) to run winning campaigns for the 2018 municipal election.
- The Open Democracy Project - an organization that works to empower everyday citizens to drive change through civic and political action.
It’s going to be a great evening focused on how we can make Toronto politics work better and we hope that you’ll be able to make it.
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