The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective:

The outcome of a civic election in the city of Edmonton, Alberta had the potential to undermine a bylaw to make all public establishments completely smoke-free including restaurants, bars, and gaming establishments. The primary objective of this campaign was to ensure that smoking bylaw would not be amended following the municipal election.

Methods:

Local health groups formed a coalition called Vote for Health to encourage voters to support candidates who supported the Edmonton smoking bylaw without weakening amendments. The campaign included surveying all candidates for their opinion of the smoking bylaw, posing questions to candidates at election forums, keeping the smoking bylaw issue in the news during the election, and developing an interactive website that provided voters with backgrounder information about the bylaw, related issues, and the results of the candidates surveys.

Results:

The Vote for Health campaign was successful in making the smoking bylaw a major election issue and in preventing the Edmonton smoking bylaw from being undermined following the municipal election. During the campaign, a veteran media commentator called the smoking bylaw the “800 pound gorilla” of the civic election.