DATE: Sunday, November 6, 2011
TIME: 7:00 to 9:30pm
LOCATION: UBC Robson Square
ADMISSION: free, but your must register at the EventBrite registration page.
The 2011 edition of Last Candidate Standing is being co-produced by the Vancouver Public Space Network and UBC’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. It’s an election mixer and rotating debate that’s open to all mayoral and council candidates. If you’re a mayoral or council candidate, this is your chance for fame and ever-lasting coolness… not to mention a chance to participate in the best idea-sharing forum in the election.
The event will be hosted by author and broadcaster Steve Burgess — who in addition to being a wildly funny writer who’s work has appeared in most of the city’s media outlets, also has a regular column in The Tyee and feature gigs on CBC Radio. Just recently Steve published a book – Who Killed Mom? (“a delinquent son’s meditation on family, morality and very tacky candles”)
We’re plugging this last bit now, because we know lots of you are fans of Mr. Burgess. But what you might not know is that his book just got short-listed for the Canada Reads award. (Congratulations Steve!) So if you want to practice voting, click over here and cast a ballot for his work. It’ll get you good and practiced for November’s municipal contest.
We’re stoked that Steve will be at this year’s event… and we sincerely hope you will be as well. Over the next few days we’ll be revealing more details about the format. It’s going to be fun, fast and civic-ly delicious.
Last Candidate Standing is FREE but you need to sign up to attend. Seriously. Don’t delay! Register now because seats for the event are going quickly. To save your spot, visit our EventBrite registration page.
How it works
Last Candidate Standing is open to all mayoral and council candidates. It functions is a ‘mixer’ that allows incumbents and new nominees, independents and party-affiliated candidates to share the same stage.
Structured as a series of rotating debates, the event starts with the names of all candidates are put into a drum. Groups of three names are drawn at a time, and each ‘set’ of candidates has a question posed to them by a panel of local journalists.
The best two answers from each set – as determined by a combination of journalist votes and audience applause – earn a pass to the next round. The next set of three names is drawn and the process repeats itself until all participants have had a chance to answer a question. The event continues through several rounds until there’s one last candidate standing.
The ‘contest’ – such as it is – is all in good fun and is designed to encourage a lively atmosphere, good civic engagement, and the chance for audience participation. Creativity is encouraged and participants are allowed to bring props for their time on stage. The event is hosted by an MC, features a panel of local journalists, and is supported by a house-band and buskers.
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