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New Brunswick residents will be heading to the polls on Monday, May 12, to select municipal and district education council candidates for the next four years. Although municipal politics may not have the allure of provincial or federal political activities, these friends and neighbours are seeking jobs that are just as important.

Why should busy New Brunswickers make the effort to vote in municipal elections? Municipal politicians make important decisions that affect the lives of everyone in a community. Councillors determine which streets or sidewalks should be repaired, ensure the community has safe drinking water or adequate fire protection, and provide recreation opportunities for residents.

Hard-working municipal councillors can provide the leadership to attract new economic development opportunities, secure a stable water supply system or plan future expansions. It is no coincidence the most progressive and desirable communities in the Valley have a dedicated and hard-working council behind the scenes.

Although councillors and mayors do receive some compensation for their efforts, serving on a municipal council in rural New Brunswick is essentially a volunteer job. That $100 or so municipal officials might receive every week hardly seems adequate considering the numerous meeting and public commitments, or listening to residents complain about wandering pets or children. District Education councillors receive no stipend for their efforts to improve local education services.

This year, Elections New Brunswick has made numerous improvements to the election process. Vote tabulation machines will be used, which should reduce voting line-ups, speed up the voting process, and improve the speed and accuracy of the counting and reporting process. Instead of taking five or more hours to determine who won, the machine should have the results in minutes. The province also ran a public awareness campaign telling New Brunswickers "your vote speaks volumes" and urging residents to get out and cast a ballot.

The democratically-minded candidates who have decided to run for District Education Councils or municipal councils should be lauded for their willingness to make personal sacrifices and improve their local community. Residents should take the time to support the candidate of their choice and cast a ballot on May 12.