Photo Ops and the Years Between

I understand why candidates for political office attend community events, shake hands, meet people, and have their photographs taken. Campaigns are, after all, about introducing yourself to voters.

But does it impress me? Not particularly.

What often strikes me is how carefully staged many of these moments appear. A candidate standing with volunteers at a food bank, smiling with seniors at a community centre, or posing beside a local charity can sometimes feel more like a campaign photo opportunity than a genuine act of community engagement. Voters are perceptive. They can usually tell the difference between someone who showed up because an election is around the corner and someone who has been showing up all along.

It also raises another question. Where were these candidates during the previous four years?

Were they volunteering in the community long before they decided to seek office? Were they attending neighbourhood events when there were no cameras? Were they advocating for causes that mattered, helping local organizations, and building relationships simply because they cared?

The most meaningful photographs are rarely the ones taken during an election campaign. They are the ones that reflect years of consistent involvement, quiet service, and genuine commitment to the people and communities a candidate hopes to represent.

Campaigns come and go. Character is built in the years between elections.

Cal DiFalco

Publisher

The Hamiltonian

(Republished from After Dark)