“Montreal Candidates Call for Inclusive Photo Standards”

Some candidates are urging Élections Montréal to enhance inclusivity following the initial upload of dim and gloomy photos of Black candidates on its website. These images are part of a trial project aimed at providing voters with better information about municipal election candidates by showcasing their photos and bios online and on ballots.

Carol-Ann Hoyte, a city councillor candidate with Transition Montréal in the Côte-des-Neiges district, expressed unease regarding her photo on the Élections Montréal website. She remarked that the disparity between her actual appearance and the photo could deter potential voters based solely on the picture.

Transition Montréal had initially planned to use professional headshots for all its candidates but had to switch to passport-style black-and-white pictures as per Élections Montréal’s requirements. Despite adjusting the photos to meet these specifications, Hoyte encountered challenges submitting her application, leading to poor visual 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 that the way these photos were presented perpetuates racist stereotypes, associating darkness with negativity. This portrayal, she explained, could dehumanize the candidates and reinforce harmful prejudices.

In response, Élections Montréal acknowledged the issue and mentioned that due to the high volume of candidate profiles, they prioritized swift online posting before the nomination deadline. The organization is working on processing candidate information, including potentially reuploading or rescanning photos if necessary.

After CBC contacted Élections Montréal, adjustments have been made to some of the photos of candidates with darker complexions on the website. Renate Betts, another city councillor candidate with Transition Montréal, commended the organization’s efforts to modernize the election process but emphasized the importance of not exclusively catering to white candidates in their initiatives.

Hoyte expressed hope that Élections Montréal would allow her to resubmit her photo and advised that better guidance on lighting and photo specifications for Black candidates would be beneficial in the future. She believes the issue stemmed from oversight rather than intent and should be promptly addressed.