With a provincial election less than a month away, it is time for voters to prepare to cast their ballots.
The election, on May 14, will set the direction for the province over the next few years.
At present, several candidates have come forward in the riding of Penticton and we could easily see more come forward in the days ahead.
The role of an MLA is an important one as each elected member is responsible to represent the wishes of his or her constituents to the provincial legislature in Victoria.
It is important to take an interest in the election process and in the decisions made at the provincial level afterward.
Sadly, the level of voter involvement has been declining.
In the last provincial election, held in 2009, only 50.99 per cent of eligible B.C. voters cast their ballots. In the riding of Penticton, voter turnout was 56.16 per cent.
The decisions made in the legislature will affect us all.
Learn a bit about each of the candidates, their parties and their platforms.
Ask them to explain themselves on any point which seems unclear.
It is up to the voting public to set the agenda in this election. It is up to the voters to determine the issues they consider important and to ask the candidates to explain their positions on these issues.
There are opportunities to raise these questions at candidate forums.
In addition, the Summerland Review will ask questions of the candidates as the election date nears.
If there is a special area of concern which also falls into the scope of a legislative member’s role, we would be interested to hear about it.
Then, on May 14, please take the time to vote.