(image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2022

Voter turnout drops below 30 per cent in Kamloops

Oct 16, 2022 | 12:39 AM

KAMLOOPS — Voter turnout in Kamloops is down percentage-wise from 2018. While more than 80,000 Kamloops residents were eligible to cast a ballot in this year’s municipal election, just 29 per cent utilized their democratic right to vote. That accounts for 23,218 votes in all cast for mayor, council and school board.

The percentage is exactly 1 per cent less than in 2018 when 30 per cent of Kamloops residents went to the polls.

While councillors like Mike O’Reilly and Stephen Karpuk were happy to be elected, they both noted they would like to see more people getting involved and voting.

“I was kind of hoping it would be more, I really did. It seems to be consistent around this with the last election on par. We get what we get and people are going to get what they elected. Hopefully we can encourage them to come out in the next election and be energized to encourage us to keep going or find a different group,” said Karpuk.

The poor voter turnout comes despite a record number of ballots being cast in advanced polls. More than 5,000 votes were cast at the two advanced polling locations over three days, more than double that of 2018. The city also sent out close to 1,000 mail-in ballots to residents.

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“This is normal and we need to find new ways to engage. We saw great success with the advance polling station at McArthur Island. And having that extra accessibility really made a difference. But, what we have seen in 2014 and 2018, is that the advance polls grew in all three of those years, but what didn’t grow what the total percentage overall. We have to figure out how to get the number up and that will be part of the discussion once the new council is elected,” added O’Reilly.