The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Southport want more people at the polls and will be donning their best suffragette attire during their “Grandma Asked Me” campaign. Pictured, Heather Mulchey (left) and Cheryl Kryzaniwsky at the Saugeen Shores Volunteer Fair May 2 at the Plex in Port Elgin.

Hub staff

With upcoming provincial and municipal elections, the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Southport will be pounding the pavement in non-partisan fashion making sure that everyone who is eligible is registered to vote.

Dressed as late 19th and early 20th century suffragettes, CFUW members will again be toting their “Grandma Asked Me... to Just Vote” campaign at various stops around Saugeen Shores, including the Bruce County Women’s Show May 5 at the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, May 19 on the streets of Saugeen Shores, and the Rotary Huron Shore Run June 2. The group will also be co-sponsoring the MPP Huron-Bruce All Candidates Meeting May 24 at the Plex.

Southport’s “Grandma Asked Me” campaign started during the 2015 elections to serve as a reminder for voters to cast their ballots.

“The majority of our members are retired and they have grandchildren and when they ask their grandchildren to do something their grandchildren usually do it, there’s all kinds of respect for the grandmothers,” said CFUW Southport member Cheryl Kryzaniwsky May 2 at the Saugeen Shores Volunteer Fair.

Kryzaniwsky added that in the last provincial election 49 percent of the population didn’t vote and it was 18 to 25 year olds who had the lowest turnout. “We just thought it’s time that those young people knew that their voice does make a difference,” she added.

Fellow member Heather Mulchey, who was also in attendance at the Volunteer Fair said that the sooner they start to recognize that we think they’re important, the better.

The non-partisan initiative will draw people to register online, at voterlookup.ca, to confirm or update addresses and provide practical information about voting. Saugeen Shores has switched to a telephone and online voting platform for the October election.

The Southport suffragettes will also share advice to new voters. “Tell us one issue that might be important to you. It might be college tuition, it might be homelessness, the environment, it might be legalizing pot, so find out what party best represents you and that’s a good place to start,” said Kryzaniwsky.

The CFUW group is proud to have Saugeen Shores Councillor Cheryl Grace as a member. “She’s very non-partisan, she doesn't take positions,” said Kryzaniwsky. “It’s great having a member of council as part of our group,” she added.

The Saugeen Shores municipal election will take place on October 22 and at the time of publishing, Councillor Cheryl Grace, who represents the Southampton Ward, was the only listed candidate for the 2018 municipal election. Keep up to date at www.saugeenshores.ca/en/elections/resources/Unofficial-List-of-Candidates-Active.pdf.

The MPP candidates for Huron-Bruce include Don Matheson, Liberal; Jan Johnston, NDP; Lisa Thompson (Incumbent), PC; Nicholas Wendler, Green; and Ronald Stephens, Libertarian. The provincial election is set for June 7.