Why Every Single Vote Matters—Especially Yours

Jo-Ann Roberts thought she knew how Canadian politics worked after being a reporter for forty years. Then she ran in the 2015 federal election as a candidate, confident that all she had to do was convince people she was the best person for the job, and they would vote for her.

That wasn't how it worked out. Roberts discovered there was so much she didn't know about our electoral system—especially how vulnerable it is to outside interference and manipulation by interest groups. Nor did she understand that those in power were not interested in getting everyone out to vote.

Millions of Canadians are not voting, a crisis that threatens to undermine democracy. Apathy, ignorance, and frustration mean a whole generation is losing faith in the value of their vote. Jo-Ann Roberts wants to ensure that the right to vote is reinvigorated, restored, and respected. In Storm the Ballot Box, she brings her unique experience from both broadcast newsrooms and political backrooms, laying out twenty concrete steps for how to kickstart a non-violent yet powerful voting revolution, empowering Canadians to mark their X—no matter who they vote for.

Jo-Ann Roberts is an award-winning journalist who is passionate about democracy, public broadcasting, and fighting climate change. She spent twenty years as a CBC Radio host and covered more elections than she can count. She is the former interim leader of the Green Party of Canada and has been a candidate in four elections—a runner-up, but never the winner. She has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of King's College.

Jo-Ann Roberts' profile page