With an important municipal election coming up at the end of October, a local non-profit is looking to make sure the ballot features equal representation.
Run for Office Waterloo Region is a volunteer-led, not-for-profit organization looking to make sure that visible minorities have equal access to voting and are equipped with the ability to run for political office.
“It’s all about equal representation,” said Tapiwa Ziyenge, program coordinator for Run for Office Waterloo Region. “Yes, we might be neighbours, but our needs, our wants, and our concerns are always different. It’s also a matter of wanting to hold accountable those whom we elected to make sure they’re representing us equally.”
Tapiwa Ziyenge, Program Coordinator, Run for Office Waterloo Region, on the Mike Farwell Show
According to Ziyenge, many visible minorities his organization engages with think getting involved in in the political process is out of their reach.
“The biggest drive has always been to get visible minorities to actually participate in our electoral process,” said Ziyenge. “A lot of us get frustrated and think my vote doesn’t count, why should I even bother, but we have seen elections that are won by very marginal votes.”
Run for Office Waterloo Region will be at community events from now until election day on Oct. 26.
