What would an election this close to Halloween be without a little controversy shrouded in mystery?
In a race that includes three mayoral and 13 council candidates, it’s tempting to try and decipher who is leading the marathon to the municipal finish line. A straw poll conducted during the Seniors on the Bow (SOTB) all-candidate forum Oct. 9 attempted to disclose which candidates were ahead in the ‘polls,’ but what is still unclear is who actually conducted this mock vote. Several candidates have spoken to this poll, and the only thing that can be taken from their comments is that the poll was carried out in a confusing and non-transparent manner.
“When the survey was handed to me at the door and to those around me there was confusion regarding who was conducting the survey and for what purpose,” said mayoral candidate David Smith. “We decided to disregard it and not respond because of that lack of understanding and transparency.”
Ivan Brooker, also a mayoral candidate, agreed that conducting a straw poll during the forum was ‘probably not appropriate,’ but that he was aware of the effort because Douglas Campbell, SOTB chair, announced the poll during the event. Campbell, however, said that a forum attendee, Larry Wackershauser, told him that the Cochrane Eagle was conducting the poll. The Eagle did not conduct any such poll, and its attempts to contact Wackershauser for comment have so far been unsuccessful.
Claims that Wackershauser intended to give the results of the poll to both Cochrane newspapers cannot be confirmed, as the Eagle has not been contacted by Wackershauser before, during or following the poll.
Council candidate Dan Cunin said a SOTB volunteer told him that the Eagle was collecting the results of the poll and that both Cochrane newspapers would publish the information in the following week’s publications.
Council candidate Shana Bruder also said she was told Wackershauser was collecting ballots to give to both newspapers to do with as they wished.
“A number of people attending the event asked me about the poll and questioned who was organizing it,” said mayoral candidate Joann Churchill. “They said they did not participate because they did not understand the purpose.”
“Unless a poll is conducted by Ipsos-Reid or another professional polling company, I would not agree with or support it,” said council candidate Gaynor Levisky.
Jim Uffelmann, a council candidate who was present during the Oct. 9 SOTB forum, said he thought the poll was goofy, but he now believes it is pretty fishy given no one knows who conducted it or has admitted to doing so.
“Someone should just take ownership and make it look at least slightly legitimate,” he said.
