“Call for Inclusive Photos in Montréal Election Platform”

In a bid for greater inclusivity, some candidates are urging Élections Montréal to enhance its approach after initially posting dim and gloomy photos of Black candidates on its platform. These images are part of a trial initiative aimed at providing voters with better information about the candidates vying for positions in the local election. The process involves uploading candidate photos and biographies online and incorporating images onto ballots.

Carol-Ann Hoyte, a city council candidate representing Transition Montréal in the Côte-des-Neiges district, expressed unease regarding her photo featured on the Élections Montréal website. She remarked on the stark contrast between the photo and her actual appearance, questioning the effectiveness of such an image in influencing voters.

Transition Montréal initially planned to use professional headshots for all their candidates but had to switch to passport-style black-and-white photos as per Élections Montréal’s requirements. Despite adjusting the photos accordingly, Hoyte encountered challenges in submitting her application, leading to subpar outcomes for herself and other candidates with darker skin tones.

Joseanne Cudjoe, a scholar specializing in critical race and gender studies at the University of Toronto, highlighted how the presentation of these photos perpetuates racial stereotypes, associating darkness with negative connotations. She emphasized the impact of such imagery on the perception and treatment of candidates.

Acknowledging the concerns raised, Élections Montréal explained that due to time constraints before the nomination deadline, they focused on swiftly uploading candidate profiles. The organization continues to process information from over 400 candidates, including the possibility of re-uploading or rescanning photos for improved clarity and representation.

Following feedback and scrutiny from CBC, adjustments have been made to some of the photos of dark-skinned candidates on the website. Renate Betts, another candidate from Transition Montréal, commended Élections Montréal’s efforts to modernize election procedures but stressed the importance of inclusive practices that cater to diverse appearances.

Hoyte expressed hope for the opportunity to submit a revised photo and urged Élections Montréal to provide clearer guidelines on lighting and photo specifications for Black candidates in the future, attributing the issue to oversight rather than deliberate actions.