WR Community Town Halls
  • Home
  • VIrtual Series
    • 2025 Series
    • 2024 Series >
      • Searching for a Drug Strategy >
        • Report: Searching for a Drug Strategy
      • No Fixed Address >
        • Guest Speakers - No Fixed Address
        • Footage: No Fixed Address >
          • Full Video - No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness and Encampments
        • Report - No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness and Encampments
    • 2023 Series >
      • The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence >
        • Guest Speakers - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
        • Event Footage - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
        • Report - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
      • Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong >
        • Guest Speakers - Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong
        • Footage & Reports - Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong >
          • Report- Renoviction- Righting the Reno-Wrong
          • Summary - Renoviction: Righting the Reno-Wrong
      • The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region >
        • Guest Speakers - The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region
        • Event Video Footage and Reports - The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region
      • The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
        • Guest Speakers - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable?
        • Event Video Footage and Reports - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
          • Report - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable?
          • Event Summary - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
            • Event Summary - Amalgamation
      • Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy >
        • Guest Speakers - Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy
        • Event Video Footage and Reports - Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy >
          • Event Summary - Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy
          • Event Report: Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy
  • Connect with Us
    • Media Releases & News Coverage

Picture


Media Release

Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation in Local Democracy

Released January 16th, 2023

Newly elected Regional Councillor Rob Deutschmann has launched a new engagement series to connect with Waterloo region residents on topics important to our local community. The Virtual Community Townhall Series is the first of the engagement methods he intends to bring to the local community throughout his council term. ​

Host Quote


“During my recent municipal campaign, I stated that I would like to continue with community engagement, to have discussions about issues of the day and any matters of concern to constituents. The Virtual Community Townhall Series is one effective way to reach out to as many as possible. Community engagement is important to demonstrate to people the relevance of municipal government in their lives and, hopefully, through a more engaged process, it will heighten the awareness of voters about the importance of good municipal government and encourage better participation, both in between and during elections. “
-Regional Councillor Rob Deutschmann
​

The first segment of the virtual series, titled “LowVoter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy'', is set to take place Thursday January 26, 2023 online via zoom from 6:30 - 8 PM. This series opener includes a variety of guest speakers as well as time for participant input and group discussion.

Canadian voter turnout has been in a long decline since at least the 1960s. In a span of 13 months, Federal, Provincial, and Regional elections occurred in our region with turnouts of 62%, 45%, and 25% respectively.

​While elections and voting are not the only way to engage with government, the decline is undeniable and we should examine the reasons behind it and the future consequences should it remain low. Our speakers will look at turnout from academic and practical perspectives, applying their years of experience, and engaging with the audience. 


Guest speakers at this event include: 
  • Melissa Bowman, Waterloo Region Yes In My Back Yard
  • Jörg Broshek, Associate Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Sam Nabi, Hold The Line Waterloo Region
  • Andrea Perrella, Associate Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Matt Rodrigues, 2022 Regional Council Candidate - Kitchener

Additional information about each speaker is available alongside registration on Eventbrite, with media quotes found below. Registration is also available by emailing  [email protected]. 

This event will be recorded and footage will be available for later viewing online on our YouTube channel. Updates are as well available by email following this event.

Speaker Quotes


“Voter turnout is entwined with community engagement. If we offer community engagement opportunities when it is truly beneficial to the process, identify peoples’ actual behaviour, and collect and use demographic data, I am hopeful that will bring us closer to the quality community engagement we need. Ideally, that will result in increased voter turnout as well.” 
- Melissa Bowman, Waterloo Region Yes In My Back Yard 

“Declining voter turnout is a symptom of a deeper problem: A growing share of the population is not willing – or not able - to engage in key practices of democratic self-government. Widening representation gaps perpetuate democratic deficits. This is a multifaceted challenge and won’t be easy to fix in the short term. It is therefore crucial to create a space for debate through meaningful community engagement, instead of ignoring the problem and doing business as usual.”
-Jörg Broschek, Associate Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University
​

Of all the ways people can engage in government, voting is truly the most impactful. How people vote translates directly into who ends up governing, and what issues are prioritized. An election is where the rubber hits the road. 
-Andrea Perrella, Associate Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University
​
​Virtual Series - View All Past Segments

​2024:
  • Searching for a Drug Strategy: Seeking a response to substance-related harms and the overdose crisis
  • ​No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness & Encampments​
​​​Connect With Us​
  • Subscribe to email updates
    • ​​Unsubscribe 
  • ​Media Releases & News Coverage
Find us online:
  • Home
  • VIrtual Series
    • 2025 Series
    • 2024 Series >
      • Searching for a Drug Strategy >
        • Report: Searching for a Drug Strategy
      • No Fixed Address >
        • Guest Speakers - No Fixed Address
        • Footage: No Fixed Address >
          • Full Video - No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness and Encampments
        • Report - No Fixed Address: A Talk About Homelessness and Encampments
    • 2023 Series >
      • The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence >
        • Guest Speakers - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
        • Event Footage - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
        • Report - The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence
      • Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong >
        • Guest Speakers - Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong
        • Footage & Reports - Renoviction - Righting the Reno-Wrong >
          • Report- Renoviction- Righting the Reno-Wrong
          • Summary - Renoviction: Righting the Reno-Wrong
      • The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region >
        • Guest Speakers - The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region
        • Event Video Footage and Reports - The Drug Poisoning Crisis in Waterloo Region
      • The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
        • Guest Speakers - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable?
        • Event Video Footage and Reports - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
          • Report - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable?
          • Event Summary - The "A" Word: Unnecessary or Unavoidable? >
            • Event Summary - Amalgamation
      • Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy >
        • Guest Speakers - Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy
        • Event Video Footage and Reports - Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy >
          • Event Summary - Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy
          • Event Report: Low Voter Turnout: Strengthening Participation In Local Democracy
  • Connect with Us
    • Media Releases & News Coverage