Canadian City Elects 'Unqualified' Man Whose Campaign Sign Said 'How Hard It Can Be'

A Canadian man has caught social media's attention after winning a city council election despite claiming that he was 'unqualified' for the job. Brady Rogers, a 33-year-old business owner from Kelowna, British Columbia, secured a seat on the city council during the October 17 municipal election. The preliminary election results showed that Rogers had received 12,635 votes, finishing fourth out of 37 candidates competing for eight council seats. If those election results are certified on Tuesday, Rogers' seat on the council will be guaranteed.

Rogers initially gained prominence for his campaign sign with slogans such as "I barely want to do this," "Just trying to pay my rent," "Fine. I'll do it," and "How hard can it be."

"Hi, I'm Brady. Do I enjoy politics? No. Do I know what I'm doing? No. But am I qualified? Also no," read his campaign website banner.

The signs went viral on social media, attracting attention from social media users and generating hundreds of thousands of impressions, along with interview requests from media outlets.

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Why The Election?

Beyond the jokes, Rogers explained that he cared a lot about this city, its small businesses, and the homeless. The election was a way to understand how the city works and whom it is working for, and to ensure that the welfare of the residents is at the heart of it all.

"Engineering taught me that finding good answers starts with asking good questions. Understanding comes before solutions. I think that's as true in politics as it is in engineering. So while I don't claim to have all the answers, I do know how to keep asking questions until I understand something," said Rogers.

"I believe that government is for the people and needs to defend our interests. Far too often, we feel like the systems around us are happening to us. But they aren't forces of nature. We built them, we can question them, and when they stop working for us, we can change them."

Prior to his political journey, Rogers worked as a robotic automation engineer for four years. Alongside his wife, Rogers started The Rogerie, a business venture that turns plastic waste into new products.

Addressing his supporters in a video, Rogers stated that despite his low-key campaign style, he approached the role seriously and expressed desire to bring a fresh perspective to the city council.