Candidates disappointed with low voter turnout, some suggest online voting

The City of Kamloops offered three advanced voting dates, one more than what is required by Elections BC. The advanced voting numbers set a record this year for voter turnout with more than 3,000 people casting a ballot, nearly 500 more voters than in the past. However, it still wasn’t enough to bump up overall totals.

Newly-elected councillor Mike O’Reilly would recommend opening up more advanced voting days in future elections.

“Hopefully when 2022 comes around, and there’s been talks about looking at how North Vancouver does it. They actually have advanced voter turnouts the full two weeks leading up to the election, not just three days,” noted O’Reilly.

The re-elected mayor Ken Christian said on Saturday that maybe the city should look at online voting. It’s an idea former TRU political science professor Ray Pillar agrees with.

“I’m not sure it would up [numbers] dramatically, but when you can just go to your laptop and do it, that would certainly encourage some people to vote and certainly people below my age and would be more interested in voting online I’m sure,” said Pillar.

He thought the numbers from the election were dismal, but added that voter turnouts have been poor during elections for all levels of government.

“It’s been brutal federally, provincially, and even worse locally,” he said. “Either people are darn satisfied with the way we’re being governed or else they don’t give a damn. It’s a sad commentary when you think about how much the government’s in all our pockets.”

by Chad Klassen

Candidates disappointed with low voter turnout, some suggest online voting

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