As Vancouver nears its April 5 two-seat byelection, candidates have been in neighbourhoods talking directly with voters at several all-candidates meetings, but two in particular have, so far, been absent.
The pass on the events by ABC Vancouver candidates Jaime Stein and Ralph Kaisers โ running for the party with a current majority on council โ has puzzled some voters and candidates from opposition parties who are making community-led events a central pillar of their campaigns.
"I mean, this is democracy manifest, right?" said Theodore Abbott, one of two TEAM for A Livable Vancouver byelection candidates at an event Monday in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood.
"This is democracy in action happening."