Most politicians try to convince voters they're the right person for the job, but someone in Canada took a completely opposite approach.
A 33-year-old Canadian man has won a seat on Kelowna City Council in British Columbia after running a campaign that openly poked fun at his own qualifications, with signs declaring that he barely wanted the job in the first place.
Brady Rogers attracted the attention of residents with campaign slogans that were a far cry from the usual promises of political candidates. His signs featured messages such as "I barely want to do this" and "Just trying to pay my rent."
His campaign website took the self-deprecating humor even further. "Do I enjoy politics? No. Do I know what I'm doing? No. But am I qualified? Also no," the website stated.
The unusual strategy went viral on social media, and this helped propel his campaign to reach an audience well beyond the Canadian city.
Thousands of Voters Back the Unlikely Candidate
According to preliminary election results, Rogers received 12,635 votes after general voting day on October 17, placing fourth among 37 candidates. Kelowna elects eight city councillors at large, meaning the eight candidates with the most votes secure seats on the council.
Speaking to Global News before the election, he stated, "It's been crazy. It [The campaign] resonated locally quite a bit, but then somebody in the U.S. picked it up on Instagram, and now it's all over."
Rogers has acknowledged that his campaign's claims about his lack of qualifications were tongue-in-cheek. Visit his campaign website, and you'll see that he has presented legitimate policy positions to the people of Kelowna.
There Is More to Rogers Than the Jokes
He has spoken about wanting to address issues concerning small businesses, homelessness, and the opportunities available to residents. "As Kelowna grows, it should get easier to live here," Rogers stated on his website.
The soon-to-be council member previously worked as an automation engineer and runs a manufacturing business named The Rogerie with his wife. Rogers claims that his career has "taught him that finding good answers starts with asking good questions."
Rogers has made his admiration for Kelowna clear, saying he cares deeply about the city and its residents. He moved there at the age of 10 and later graduated from the University of British Columbia Okanagan.