What Should You Ask a Municipal Candidate

With municipal elections approaching, candidates are knocking on doors and asking for your vote. But when someone stands on your doorstep, what should you ask them? It’s easy to talk about taxes, potholes, development, or the issues making headlines. But how do you find out whether a candidate really understands the job of governing a community? Our guest today has some answers. Christina Benty is the former Mayor of Golden, B.C., and she’s created a practical guide to help residents ask better questions of municipal candidates—from whether they’ve attended council meetings and read key financial and planning documents, to how they would prioritize spending when there simply isn’t enough money for everything. And there are questions about leadership, respectful debate, and understanding the difference between elected officials and municipal staff. Today, Christina joins us to talk about what voters should be listening for—and how to move the conversation beyond campaign slogans and promises. All that and a bit more. I’m Christopher Brown, and this is Municipal Affairs. ------ Candidates Checklist: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/f5987cc0-c299-42d9-ac82-eab5bf864c6f/downloads/cc3a125c-167b-4d3d-981d-500f0301098f/CandidateChecklist_2026.pdf?ver=1790711156239&fbclid=IwY2xjawUyDhdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7v1ffIsusYssZVqq5SOOLyK-tlYdNT1f4uMeRiwViNunYK4TplquuFLM0ahw_aem_xehQwTiX6CF1KE5t3lSOiA ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026