“X” doesn’t mark the spot however --- so why such a bad turn-out?

This morning on their Facebook page, Integrity BC posted the following comment:

In 2010, both Calgary and Toronto had voter turnout of over 50 per cent in their municipal elections.   We took a look at some of the turnouts in Saturday's local elections: Abbotsford (39.24%), Esquimalt (18%), Fernie (41.5%), Kamloops (29.76%), Nanaimo (27.17%), Prince George (28.5%), Saanich (25.35%), Tumbler Ridge (30.17%), Vancouver (34.57%), Victoria (26.35%) and West Vancouver (24.53%).   These turnouts point to a serious malaise and disengagement in BC's democratic system.

GUESS WHAT?  That brief short note doesn’t even come close to showing how pathetic and abysmal the voting habits of British Columbian’s are becoming.

The WORST voter turn-out?   Esquimalt with UNDER 18% (17.99%) of voters turning out … of 12,872 eligible voters, only a pitiful 2,300 could be bothered to make it to the polling station to cast a ballot.  Running a close second was Port Coquitlam with a turn-out of just over 18%

Where was the BEST voter turn-out??  Kudu’s to the people of Bowen Island who had nearly 84% (83.77) – nearly 2,000 of the eligible 2,300 voters came out and voted on Saturday in their municipal election.  Running a close second was the community of Tahsis with over 82% (82.31) of resident coming out to the polls … and just behind them were the folks of Stewart with over 78%.

Across the province of British Columbia there were just over 2.7 million people who could have cast a ballot in local municipal elections --- under 800 thousand (798,518) did so. 

We had a province wide turnout of just 29.47% --- which means Lake Country, located between Vernon and Kelowna, wins the booby prize.  They tied the provincial average getting out 2,692 people out of an eligible 9,135 – exactly 29.47%.  Kamloops where I live came a close second in tying the provincial average with 29.76% voter turn-out.

I believe the local level, right in our own hometown, is where we have the best opportunity of having a say and have the best opportunity to effect change.   “X” doesn’t mark the spot however --- so why such a bad turn-out?   

I don’t know this for fact, but I have to think a lack of accountability, by MP’s and MLA’s at the provincial and federal level, is creating a growing generation of apathetic municipal voters as well.

Do our political leaders really care about this, or does it simply play into how they wish things to be?  I think that’s a questions we’d better start asking.

Here’s another question for us.  Are we simply using that lack of accountability, by our elected leaders, as an excuse to be and stay disengaged?  If we are, and it certainly seems so, then we are becoming a lazy lot that deserve the leadership we get.

The future for democracy does not look good when only 29.47% of the people get out to cast a ballot for their municipal council … … and where even worse a community like Esquimalt can have as little as 18% voter turn-out.  Our elected representatives need to do better --- and WE need to do a LOT better.

Okay enough of the negative.  Before I leave today let’s congratulate a few other communities … all who achieved voter turn-out of 70% or better.  Again starting at the top we have Bowen Island with 83.77% … Tahsis with 82.31% … Stewart with 78% … Sun Peaks with 75% … and Gran Isle and Greenwood both with 70%.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops … with the thoughts of one conservative.

 

For more information on voter turnout and results from across the province,

CivicInfo BC has released preliminary Municipal Voter Turnout Figures.  That information is available by clicking HERE.