Candidates concerned by low voter turnout

After Sandra Hollingsworth's Ward 2 municipal byelection victory Monday, the top three runner-ups in the nine-candidate contest shared their thoughts with SooToday.

"I'm a little disappointed with the results, I would have liked to see more people vote and get involved," said Luke Dufour, manager of of JL Builders, a local contracting business.

Dufour came in second with 636 votes, compared to Hollingsworth's 767.

Voter turnout for the byelection was low.

2,872 out of 9,535 eligible voters in the ward cast ballots.

"I knocked on more doors than people voted," said Dufour, who suggested nine candidates knocking on Ward 2 doors may have led to information overload and confusion among some voters.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make JL Builders expand and succeed and continue with my work on city boards," said Dufour, who is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Board and is involved with the Algoma Fall Festival, Community Soup Kitchen, St. Vincent Place and St. Matthew's Anglican Church.

The byelection marked Dufour's second run for public office (after the October 2014 municipal election) and he said he isn't ruling out running again.

"I think small businesses need more than just people saying they support them," Dufour added.

"I think the city should put more focus on the EDF (Economic Development Fund)…I think half a million dollars is too little, especially at times like this, I think the discussion needs to be had whether physician recruitment is the best use of EDF funds, I don't know if that really diversifies our economy, as important as physician recruitment is," Dufour said.

"I'm surprised voter turnout was so low…the low voter turnout is pretty bad," third-place finisher Susan Milne told SooToday.

Milne finished with 427 votes.

"Going door to door, people seemed to care," said Milne, who added she too wouldn't rule out another run at public office.

Milne is a well-known local horticulturalist, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) member and currently a self employment benefit co-ordinator with the Community Development Corporation (CDC).

"I think I played the elder statesman role, looking rationally at the problems facing Sault Ste. Marie, both Ward 2 and the city as a whole, and that's the bad economy," said Jody Curran, who placed fourth in the byelection with 382 votes.

"That's not a very happy picture to present to the public so that's probably the primary reason I didn't fare so well at the polls," said Curran, a former Ward 2 city councillor and Sault Star reporter/editor/advertising department manager. 

Curran said Hollingsworth and the rest of council need to be realistic during tough economic times.

"I wish Sandra well, she's got a tough job ahead of her as a city councillor and she and Susan (Myers, Hollingsworth's Ward 2 wardmate) can work together to help the city," Curran said.