Vote for your neighbour!

Regardless of whether there is a provincial or federal general election - or both, there is going to be a lot of ballotting in Nova Scotia this year.

The province's municipal units - from Halifax Regional Municipality to the smallest town - will hold elections for councillors and mayors. They take place every four years by provincial regulation.

This process, often at the neighbourhood level, is raw politics.

The election antics - though less expensive, to be sure - can be at least as amusing as they are at the other levels. Already, we're seeing incumbents and potential challengers posturing for attention.

At the same time, we're seeing the various councils go through remuneration reviews to see how much pay the next group should receive.

The idea: it would be improper for councillors to give themselves a raise, but okay to give the next council one - even if they expect to be hauling up a seat at the new entity’s council table.

Not that we should beef about good pay for good people doing good and necessary work. I have observed Kings County council, which represents the third largest municipality in the province; and Kentville council, which usually punches well above its weight; for many years over the past two decades. I can say - maybe to hearty guffaws from some other obeservers - there is no one over those years, or now, who didn't belong there. That's not to say there probably weren't better people available, or that behaviour and decorum couldn't stand a good brushing up every so often; but those entities - and I have no reason to think Wolfville's of Berwick’s are any different - have been blessed.

Co-chaired by former premiers Dr. John Hamm and Russell MacLellan, the Democracy 250 series is going about the province informing young people of the history and importance of democracy in the province and country over the past quarter-millenium.

The more glamorous - if such a word can be used - politics, of course, are the federal and provincial levels. Municipal politics is where the horse poop hits the road.

Roads, and whether they are plowed, culverted, policed; and fire protection and other everyday matters of importance are the stuff of municpal politics.

Like the other two levels, your life isn't your own if you're in office. If something isn't plowed, is clogged or flooded; or the kids are raising hell down at the park, you're for it. It's daily, hands-on responsibility.

Regardles, the municipal level attracts the lowest voter participation.

That has to change.

With the Harper Tories and Dion Liberals posturing and sparring, and Premier Rodney MacDonald fiddling all over the place making this point and that, here and in New York; we have one known - municipal elections.