Ballot Babes

Two Winnipeg women, Patty Wiens and Sam Beiko, talk about why engaging in local politics is crucial for your community and give you practical advice on how you can make your voice heard. This podcast is for anyone who wants to understand the importance of local governance and its impact on daily life. Located in Winnipeg, but relevant everywhere.

Ballot Babes is a news podcast hosted by Patty Wiens & Sam Beiko, with 14 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Patty Wiens & Sam Beiko hosts Ballot Babes, a news show with 14 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #14

  Episode 14 - Tyler Crichton for St James

  Aug 13, 20261h 6mS1

  To support this podcast head over to patreon.com/herproblem . Go to ballotbabes.com and send us some feedback about your current councillor. In today’s episode we review your feedback and talk to Tyler Crichton, city councillor candidate for St James in Winnipeg. Tyler’s vision for a St James that is community minded has 6 pillars. Watch the episode to find out more and head over to https://www.tylerforstjames.ca/ Here are some of the previous interviews with other candidates. Lora Meseman for Transcona: https://youtu.be/5bn7dXIpRnY?si=glAg-3sDjpYRLBz- Natalie Smith for Minarski: https://youtu.be/yt14p8jTYqo?si=mocSTKAiwxLbAc51 Natalie Smith for Minarski - https://natalie-for-mynarski.solidarity.tech/ Lora Meseman for Transcona - https://www.lora4transcona.ca/ Tyler Crichton for St James - https://www.tylerforstjames.ca/ Ballot Babes - ballotbabes.com Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: F0NKIJTGTXVABUQ3

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #13

  Episode 13 - Transcona has a Babe and shocking shake-ups in Election News!

  Aug 7, 202658 minS1

  Go to ballotbabes.com and support our podcast, participate in our survey about your city councillor or send us a voice memo! Election season is getting near and we put city hall, transit, housing, and the dog park fight under the microscope - then Transcona candidate Lora Meseman shows up with the kind of grounded, community-first vision voters are hungry for. If you too are biased toward a livable Winnipeg, this episode is for you. Patty and Sam kick things off with their unapologetically biased take on civic politics, why labor endorsements matter, and what Sherri Rollins' decision to drop out says about the power dynamics at City Hall. Then Lora Meseman joins the show for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what Transcona actually needs right now. A longtime community builder and executive director of the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centers, Laura talks about decades of volunteering, raising her family in the ward, and why this is the right time to step up. She shares what she is hearing on the trail, why safe streets, green space, infrastructure, and aging in place all belong in the same conversation. Lora brings a practical, neighborhood-level perspective to some of the biggest questions in Winnipeg politics: how to build without paving over what people love, how to serve newcomers and longtime residents alike, and how to make sure public investment actually improves daily life. Essential listening if you want to understand the local election beyond the lawn signs, the outrage posts, and the headlines. If you're trying to decide who deserves your vote - or how to help a candidate you believe in - this conversation gives you a smarter, more hopeful place to start. Resources Patty’s Book: That’ll Never Work Here by Patty Wiens pattybikes.com Sam Beiko: https://www.smbeiko.com/ Lora Meseman: https://www.lora4transcona.ca/ Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: QBCSKMOV1M20KZAV

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #12

  Episode 12 - Natalie Smith For Mynarski

  Jul 17, 202655 minS1

  Here we go, listeners! Today we launch our first candidate interview and our illustrious guest is Natalie Smith who is running in Mynarski, hoping to unseat Councillor Ross Eadie. As you know, Eadie is a long time listener, but we have no love lost here. As we said in the 90s, Bye Felicia. Natalie comes with a swath of community relationships under her belt and is ready to take on the job of representing Winnipeg’s oldest and prized neighbourhood. We’d love to have your support for our podcast, just head over to BallotBabes.com and hit up the Patreon link as well as the feedback form. Oh, and leave us a voice memo while you’re at it, will ya? Let’s get to it, this episode is packed with information you will need for Winnipeg’s October 2026 Civic Election. Check if you’re registered to vote: https://www.winnipeg.ca/city-governance/wards-elections/2026-election/voter-app And check out Michael Redhead Champagne’s blog about the latest probe results. https://www.michaelredheadchampagne.com/blog/confronting-crime-addiction-homelessness-in-winnipeg?fbclid=IwY2xjawS97P5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEwd2lZd05CbHRCMjJRZUVXc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqw6nxcuwr4ztE9Vl6QTFWQ8_8tNVa_Wvo3Muw49KwhHPLeGzJx1sbNURhwM_aem_n7mUlANWtOr0peuFfyJ5Nw Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Winnipeg's Election and Community Focus 01:56 Candidate Natalie Smith's Background and Community Involvement 10:01 Key Issues in Mynarski: Housing, Climate, and Community Spaces 19:59 Strategies for Civic Engagement and Community Building 30:08 The Role of City Council and Collaboration 39:59 Why Now is the Time for Change in Winnipeg 50:02 The Impact of Local Politics on Climate and Community 57:45 How to Support and Get Involved in Campaigns Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: UIIRKGNMZSMXRM09

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #11

  Episode 11 - The Who's Who of each Winnipeg Ward - A Very Biased Opinion and So Long Auntie Janice

  Jun 27, 202658 minS1

  This October, Winnipeg heads to the polls to elect School Trustees, City Councillors and a Mayor! This is the podcast you’ve been waiting for. It’s the antidote to civic apathy, the tonic for the toxic Facebook Neighbourhood Group and the balm to your weary taxed out bones. As seen on CBC and the Winnipeg Free Press (and EVEN The Winnipeg Sun), Ballot Babes is here to get you excited about Local Politics! Today’s episode features a janky fun slideshow with each of the wards and our extremely biased opinion on each City Councillor. Oh you don’t like what we had to say? Were we too mean or not mean enough? Then head over to this form and give us your opinion and enter for a chance to win a set of books of The City Project. https://thecityproject.org/ Fill out the form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOWsKQG4fydAa3OrnZMc8Gsj9K0iGDfzTEWAmH_5s39O7Kcw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=116311463854991354758 Support us on Patreon at https://www.pattybikes.com/ballot-babes and download the Slideshow so you can be the life of the next block party! Check the voters list https://www.winnipeg.ca/city-governance/wards-elections/2026-election/voter-app And please go bother Councillor Brian Mayes and ask him to run for mayor! https://www.winnipeg.ca/city-governance/mayor-council/council-members/st-vital STW6BUPVC7ZETCPS Oh you want to be the life of the next neighbourhood cookout? Download the Biased Babes Powerpoint Slideshow here! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13Vu4V1k8LWDsLizcQj-dfDoltJQxtpcZ?usp=drive_link Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Election Podcast 01:01 Book Launch Announcement 04:01 Mayoral Candidates Overview 05:53 Police Presence and Drug Crisis Discussion 10:16 Current Affairs and Political Climate 14:06 A very Biased Babe Powerpoint Slideshow 37:33 Election Insights: Who's Running and Who's Not 39:56 Community Feedback: Voices from the Constituents 48:43 Community Engagement and Political Support 51:38 Traffic Violence and Active Transportation Advocacy

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #10

  Episode 10 - Who's Running for Mayor in Winnipeg's 2026 Civic Elections?

  Jun 10, 202652 minS1

  If you’d like to support us, please go to https://patreon.com/herproblem?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=join_link In this episode, we will explore our options for mayoral candidates for Winnipeg’s 2026 Civic Elections. We will start by talking about Scott Gillingham, our current mayor (incumbent), and talk about what he will leave behind as his legacy. Gillingham talks about being tough on crime, yet the rate of traffic violence in Winnipeg is double that of just “regular” violence. We will explore all the details here with you. Thank you to all our patreon sponsors and friends and new followers! Links: https://www.pattybikes.com/ballot-babes Feedback on your councillor or mayor https://forms.gle/ofNgkiBxvUuPXyXq6 Elections 2026 Website: https://www.winnipeg.ca/city-governance/wards-elections/2026-election

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Ballot Babes. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.