Improving Democratic Engagement in Richmond (Low Voter Turnout)

Good evening Mayor and Council,

Thank you for the opportunity to address this important issue this evening.

I want to begin by acknowledging the considerable effort that went into planning, preparing, and delivering the 2022 Richmond municipal election by staff.

Elections are a cornerstone of democracy, and the administrative work behind them deserves recognition.

With the Next Municipal Election One Year Away, What Has Changed?

We must confront a troubling fact: voter turnout in that election was only 24.4%.

35,093 ballots were cast out of a population of around 230,000 — a number that should concern all of us.

While this may not be the lowest turnout in municipal history, it continues a disturbing trend of civic disengagement.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance puts it plainly:

“Higher voter turnout is in most cases a sign of the vitality of democracy, while lower turnout is usually associated with voter apathy and mistrust of the political process.”

If nearly three-quarters of eligible Richmond voters stayed home, we need to ask: WHY?

The first step is research.

I’m calling on City Council to initiate a comprehensive survey of Richmond residents — voters and non-voters alike — to gather facts and insights into what’s really driving this low engagement.

Are people feeling disconnected? Mistrustful?

Or are they simply choosing other forms of participation like advocacy, protests, or online platforms?

Once we have the data, we’ll be in a stronger position to act.

But we can’t stop there.

I’m also proposing the creation of a Richmond Citizens’ Assembly — a structured, representative group of everyday residents, randomly selected and demographically diverse, brought together to deliberate on this civic issue and advise Council.

Citizens’ Assemblies are increasingly being used in Canada to bring people back into the democratic process and rebuild public trust.

In 2003, British Columbia launched a citizens' assembly to propose replacing the province's existing first past the post (FPTP) system with BC-STV, a single transferable vote (STV) system.

Within 15 months, it provided a final report to the BC legislature.

In June 2013, the City of Vancouver’s had 48 members of the community in a citizens’ assembly work together over 9 months to form the Grandview Woodland Community Plan.

Langley City Council have a citizens’ assembly on community safety completing this month after being launched in February.

Richmond already has many advisory committees — on transportation, seniors, agriculture, the environment — and rightly so.

But why not a committee dedicated to democracy itself?

A Citizens’ Assembly gives people a real seat at the table and a meaningful way to contribute beyond election day.

You may be asking, what makes a citizens’ assembly unique?

A Citizens’ Assembly is not another consultation — it’s a democratic innovation that combines representation, learning, deliberation, and shared decision-making.

It gives residents the time, information, and trust to think together about the city’s future — and gives Council richer insight than any poll or hearing could provide.

1.    It’s Representative, Not Self-Selected

2.    It’s Deliberative, Not Just Consultative

3.    It’s Empowered with a Clear Mandate

4.    It Builds Public Trust and Legitimacy

5.    It’s Educational and Capacity-Building

6.    It Produces Actionable, Evidence-Based Results

This is a moment for leadership.

City Council has a key role in turning the tide of low turnout.

Let’s explore new democratic tools to give people more voice and more reason to engage.

It’s time to say YES to new approaches!

Thank you.

Jerome Dickey

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/vdIBKNF2aYM?si=iawlVC7oGD--NnXO