Draft a Mayor

There's been a lot of discussion in the Hamilton blogosphere about a new website called Draft a Mayor. Its goal is to encourage cross-country voter engagement for this year's municipal election. Interestingly enough, the site is being run by Fred Eisenberger's former chief of staff Ken Audziss.

Hamilton's Draft a Mayor race has been an interesting one. For the first few days of the poll, the leading candidate was former broadcaster Dan McLean, the Federal Liberal candidate for Ancaster-Flamborough-Dundas-Westdale. To my knowledge, McLean has no intention whatsoever of running for mayor (though judging from this poll, perhaps he should!)

Currently in the lead is Hamiltonian publisher Cal Di Falco. He has certainly emerged as a grassroots favourite amongst Hamilton's online community. Some commenters have also pointed out that unlike other candidates, Di Falco seems to be the benefactor of an active online campaign to boost his score.

Fred Eisenberger is lagging behind most candidates, including his council members Tom Jackson and Lloyd Ferguson. However, in an email this morning, the Draft-a-Mayor admins said they're not allowing votes from computers connected to the City of Hamilton network in an attempt to cut down on voter fraud. This may explain why many of  Eisenberger's supporters haven't been able to cast a vote.

In the last municipal election, Eisenberger used YouTube and other social media quite successfully. At the time, it was a pretty avant-garde way to attract voters with very little money. This time around, sites like Draft a Mayor, Facebook, and Twitter will undoubtedly play a bigger role in the race to the ballot box.

So, Hall Marks readers, what do you think about social media sites Draft-a-Mayor? Do they encourage civic participation? Can we trust them?

Comment disclaimer: Please keep in mind that this post is meant to encourage discussion about the validity of social media sites like Draft-a-Mayor. It's not meant to be a platform for any specific candidate.

UPDATE: Since this entry was posted, the admins at Draft a Mayor have revised their poll results. As the numbers have changed significantly, I’ve updated the image in this post. For a current tally, please visit the Draft a Mayor site.
 
Unfortunately, some posters have made personal comments targeted towards several people involved in the poll. That isn’t the sprit of this blog, nor was it the intention of this post. We also want to make it clear that the Spec and Hall Marks aren’t affiliated with Draft a Mayor or with any of the candidates.
 
Due to the personalized tone of this debate, this post will no longer be accepting comments.

Comments

[Dominic]

I don’t know Cal DiFalco well but I am a Stoney Creek resident and have seen him in action. The only reason I’ve gone to some of the public meetings, is because I wanted to hear him speak. I approached him after one such meeting and was impressed by his charisma and his intellect. I don’t know why some people are making it a point to chastise him and spread misinformation about him. He’s a true Hamiltonian and his blog www.thehamiltonian .net, says a lot about the man. I don’t have anything bad to say about Fred or Tom Jackson, but they are the old guard and they are responsible for us continuing to fail. I don’t see anything worthy that they would bring other than more of the same nonsense that we’re all sick of. DiFalco and others like him are a breath of fresh air. We would be lucky if they threw their hats into the ring. I think Ms. Cascioli has too much baggage and we can’t someone we cant trust as Mayor. I don’t know why the spec has not approached Cal. In terms of draft a mayor, your toopic suggests that there is something suspect about the site. I am not sure what you are suggesting about Mr. DiFalco's votes, but both statements are offensive to those who run Draft a Mayor and DiFalco. Wjat proof do you have?

[Rick]

I think anything to engage the public more in elections is a good thing.

What I find surprising is that we don't have any new faces in the Draft A Mayor list - it's all the same old, same old.

Do we not want this city to move forward?

Where's the fresh blood?

[Mary Louise]

You say that DiFalco is the 'benefactor' of an online campaign to 'boost' his score as though that were a bad thing. What is it with the old media and their default distrust of the internet? DiFalco appears to be the benefactor of a grassroots campaign that happens to be taking place on the internet. It is no less legitimate as a result.

I have no particular interest in Cal, in fact I voted for someone else, but I'm getting pretty tired of old media's defensiveness, and constant attempts to delegitimize the internet. Anyone who wants to run for mayor is going to need to mount a similar internet campaign if they want to have any hope of success. As MAW is fond of saying, "get used to it."

[Tom Robertson]

Can anyone define the term "grassroots" for me most candidates throw that term around during a campaign.

[Elizabeth V.]

I agree Cal DiFalco is the coice of the grassroots. It's sad that thats why he is being attacked. It is also sad that the Hamilton Spectator is suggesting that people are voting to boost his campaign. Did it ever occur to that the People are voting for Cal because he DOES represent Hamiltonians and grassroots. It is funny how the Hamilton Spectator assumes that Jackson, McLean ect. are not subject to boosting numbers. It is clear that Cal is being unfairly attacked. Please adjust the numbers on the pie chart. Hamilton Spectator you owe Mr. DiFalco a PUBLIC apology!
Stick up for Hamilton Hamiltonians!

[Emma]

Tom: Grassroots means something that springs up naturally from a community rather than from an institution (like a political party).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grassroots

[J. Carlos]

Lets cut the bull here and show the right numbers for Cal DiFalco. The numbers on the pie chart for Cal DiFalco were purposely cut off....as it stands....at 1:21 p.m January 26, 2010 Cal beats everyone at 228 Votes. Stop the games!

[Emma]

J. Carlos - Ive uploaded a new version of the pie chart. The image was accidentally cropped this morning due to its size.

I'd also like to point out that this image is a screen grab that shows the poll's numbers as of this afternoon. If you'd like a current tally, please visit the Draft a Mayor site.

[Robbie]

Draft a Mayor is a joke. I went to their site and voted for mayors in other cities across Canada. I also voted 10 times on the Hamilton site by using different computers. Cal may be a candidate on Draft a Mayor but until he officially enters a real race, it all means nothing.

[Markalanwhittle]

Any social media action (draft-a-mayor) that gets residents engaged in local politics is a good thing, no doubt the natives are restless and the war drums are beginning to pound.

[Rick]

"Cal beats everyone at 228 Votes"

Hardly a ringing endorsement from a city of 500,000.

[Patrick Matozzo]

Blogs was chosen as one of the top 10 influential items in technology in the past decade and as such, this new medium has given ordinary individuals to express their views and opinions in a journalistic format. It great to see Hamiltonian's engaged so passionately about a Mayoralty Race.

As one of the 35,000 commuters to Toronto, Cal DiFalco and I spent many a morning on the commute ride into Toronto, talking passionately about Hamilton and what we both thought it needed as a impetus to turn itself around. Believe folks when I say Cal's got what it takes to be Mayor; he's one smart individual, passionate about what he believes in. I not saying this as his friend, I saying this as a Hamiltonian who is politically in tune with the what has and is going on in this City.

[Tom Robertson]

Being in tune with what is going on in the city is one thing. Being able to come up with a policy to solve what is wrong and show you have the ability to push that policy through is another.

[Elizabeth V.]

If this site is going to keep the pie chart up then I think that it should reflect the correct numbers daily.

[Ham Sandwich for Mayor! (Dan Jelly)]

Put simply, draftamayor.com is a joke on its own. The numbers are not statistically valid, subject to tampering, and don't truly reflect the population as a whole. It's something to talk about, but not much more than that. If they'd let me, I'd nominate "a Ham Sandwich" for mayor and it would win in a landslide.

I also suspect a couple of these DiFalco boosters are the same person posting under different names, somebody rude enough to post in spite of the fact that Emma's post said specifically said that "It's not meant to be a platform for any specific candidate."

[Michelle Hruschka]

Yes, the natives are restless and the war drums are beating.

It is social media folks, it is not the real thing. But it does give a indication of how the people feel.

The grassroots movement is growing in this community. People want real change.

[Rick]

Michelle wrote: "The grassroots movement is growing in this community. People want real change."

I agree Michelle - the problem we have is that when it comes to actually casting a ballot on voting day, the people that want change are strangley absent... :(

[Michelle Hruschka]

Rick: Yes I know what you mean and that is what needs to change.

Voter apathy. In advocating for low income, our group has put on several political forums, to informa the public about who is running and what their platforms are.

But when you ask, you are you ging to vote, many say, what is the point, noting changes.

Well change will not happen if you do not get involved, participate. This is what needs to change. No easy task but it has to start somewhere.

This is why I hope the Hamilton Civic League can do its part. Education is the key, t takes people to be involved.

[Patrick Matozzo]

Tom, good point. It will be interesting to see what policies and platforms potential candiates put foward as part of their campaigns in the up comming election for Mayor. And to your point which of the candidates have the ability/leadership to drive home policy, as the Mayor only represents one vote on council.

[Kathy Hagan]

I am dismayed to see the same old group. Hamilton, we need new blood if this city is to rise from the ashes.{ Derelict buildings crack houses etc} Out with the old every one and lets have a team of competent business savvy candidates.

[Roger]

I think Draft A Mayor just gives a good sense for what people are thinking but it is not the same as an election. Look like this Cal DiFalco guy is ahead of everyone by a lot. Then comes McLean. So the top two guys are new. I think thats good and I think it is already telling us that people are sick of the councilors. I would like to see Dan or Cal or anyone else who is not on existing council run and tell us about what they beleive in. Draft a mayor is a online thing and i dont think it is fgair to expect these guiys to tell us what btheir beliefs are just because they are on the chart. Thats something that they will likley tell us when they run.

Roger

[Robbie]

It appears that team DiFalco can't play by the rules as reported today on Draft a Mayor - "UPDATE: Due to voting fraud pertaining to votes cast for Cal DiFalco our team is reviewing the details pertaining to each vote cast in order to rectify the situation."
Should we judge people by the company they keep?

[Bruce]

In respose to Robbie:
Draft a Mayor has targeted Mr. DiFalco from the beginning. It's time they accept the fact that HAMILTON WANTS SOMEONE NEW...SOMEONE NOT CONNECTED.

[Politics 101]

Draft a Mayor just changed its liabilous statement to :

UPDATE: Earlier today we identified potential voting fraud pertaining to votes cast for Hamilton Mayoral candidates. Our team is reviewing the details of each vote cast in order to rectify the situation. We anticipate having the accurate results available later today.

I guess they realized that targeting Cal DiFalco only reaffirmed that he's the most viable candidate on their pie chart.

[Markalanwhittle]

Seems the tune has changed over at Draft-a-Mayor.
--
DraftAMayor
1/29/2010 8:59:18 AM

UPDATE: Earlier today we identified potential voting fraud pertaining to votes cast for Hamilton Mayoral candidates. Our team is reviewing the details of each vote cast in order to rectify the situation. We anticipate having the accurate results available later today.