Social media has elevated the involvement of constituents to an unprecedented level. The new era of instant, freely available, interactive information means that everyone has the ability to shape the outcome. From this we have learned that no longer will slick key messaging backed by a carefully crafted (and well funded) campaign suffice.

We have also learned that the dynamics of virtual crowds responding to a single online comment can shift the tides of an election. Perhaps this is life, but the speed at which support or opposition builds in the online world reminds me of mob mentality. Quasi-anonymity and crowd momentum can be a real source of 'courage'. But this is now part of the democratic process that candidates must learn to navigate. In many ways, social media has made the world more democratic than ever by giving the single voter the chance to be heard.

But since the end of this campaign is nearing, let's take it back to the essentials. Before you vote on Monday, October 25th, take a final look at my attempt to supply unbiased information on what each Ward 30 candidate stands for: