Historically low voter turnout in Nanaimo during the 2022 Municipal Election needs to force a re-think about how we deal with local elections. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Water Cooler: Low voter turnout should equate to quiet next four years

Oct 17, 2022 | 12:47 PM

NANAIMO — The Water Cooler is NanaimoNewsNOW’s letters to the editor-style segment, featuring conversations about the news in Nanaimo and Oceanside.

This feature is a little different as it starts with an editorial from our newsroom after historically low voter turnout numbers were confirmed Saturday, Oct. 15. We want to start a conversation as to why, and where we go from here.

NanaimoNewsNOW: One in four. Less than one in four Nanaimo residents bothered to cast a ballot in the 2022 Municipal Election.

The announcement Saturday night from chief electoral officer Sheila Gurrie inside Council chambers at 9:39 p.m. was a gut punch after weeks of extensive work by local media and interest groups, seemingly high levels of community conversation about election topics and a slate of extremely visible candidates.

Preliminary results showed of the City’s estimated 77,984 eligible voters, only 18,664 turned up and cast a ballot which is 23.9 per cent. Only 18,664 took the 10 to 15 minutes required to vote, out of the three full days polls were open.

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The low turnout means Mayor-elect Leonard Krog, who received 12,390 votes for his second term, was elected by just 15.8 per cent of Nanaimo’s eligible voters.

Council’s leading vote getter, Paul Manly, earned 10,366 votes meaning he’s formally approved by just 13.3 per cent of the electorate.

Eighth-placed winner Hilary Eastmure received support of just 7.25 per cent.

So why did this happen? And what can be done moving forward?

Countless social media threads on Sunday, Oct. 16 were filled with excuses: “I didn’t know there was an election”, “I didn’t know who to vote for”, “I forgot”, “none of the candidates appealed to me”.

Not knowing there was an election is difficult to see, with hundreds of signs at every main intersection, countless social and traditional media advertisements as well as news coverage from every major outlet in the city.

Not knowing who to vote for is a little more understandable with 33 candidates this election cycle. However multiple resources exist, not only the candidates themselves but through local media coverage.

It’s also important to note voter turnout was over 15 per cent higher in 2018 when there were 43 total candidates running.

As voters, we also owe it to the candidates to be educated.

Thirty-three people put their names forward to lead Nanaimo for the next four years. While there were varying degrees of effort put into campaigns, all took time to make their case. The least we can do is take the time to listen, read and decide.

So what can be done moving forward? Something clearly needs to change.

Issues with voter turnout were fairly consistent across some like-sized and regional communities.

Voter turnout in B.C. was around 30 per cent with Prince George (26.3) and Sooke (25.7) joining Nanaimo below the line.

Parksville (34.0), Vancouver (37.3) and Victoria (36.8) all bested the provincial average while the Town of Qualicum Beach boasted one of the best turnouts with 53 per cent of eligible voters casting a ballot.

Is the system of polling places, primarily at schools, a good one? Are there advertising and engagement avenues not being explored to get more people out to vote?

Did the lack of multiple all-candidates debates hurt turnout? Or did the less-formal Q&A-style sessions save us from a lower number?

The low voter turnout is especially concerning since decisions made by Nanaimo City Council have the biggest impact on our day-to-day lives, far in excess of votes cast in provincial and federal elections.

Perhaps the one good thing to come from the low voter turnout is the peace and quiet it will bring our newsroom over the next four years.

Because if you don’t take the time to vote, your complaints don’t carry much weight.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

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On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW