Voter Turn-Out Sets a Record

Sunday, November 20, 2005 02:11 PM

Whether it was the campaign signs or the issues, voters turned out in record numbers

The 2005 Municipal Election is one for the record books in the City of Prince George.

The Chief Electoral Officer, City Clerk Don Schaffer, says the official number of ballots cast is locked behind a closed door today, but he says just over 17,500 city residents cast ballots.

Schaffer says the previous high was set back in 1996, when 16,514 voters made their way to polling stations. By way of comparision, only 12,614 turned out to vote in the 2002 civic election.

Schaffer says based on an estimated 43,000 eligible voters in the city, voter turn-out on Saturday was 40.7-percent.

Meantime, it is back to business at city hall. A regular council meeting is scheduled for tomorrow night in chambers at 7pm. The swearing in of the new council will occur at an inaugural meeting on December 5th.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2005 02:11 PM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: Chester on November 20 2005 7:06 PM

I am amazed at the amount of opinions, suggestions and thoughts people have about what goes on in our city, but, only 40.7% of an estimated 43,000 eligible voters turned out.(17,500)

I wonder if Vilfredo Pareto's Law still holds true, 80% of the votes went towards 20% of the candidates? 80% of the attention was directed towards 20% of the issues. Chester

Posted by: Chadermando on November 20 2005 11:27 PM

Krisp makes a point about the polling stations on another thread. the point that there was nothing stopping someone from going to vote at each polling station.

So if each Kinsley voter voted twice on average at different polling stations that would account for the increase in voter turn out.

I wonder if City Clerk Don Schaffer has had time to cross refference the names registered on the polling list from each of the polling stations before he said he is comfortable with the polling results in such a close election?

Posted by: owl on November 20 2005 11:27 PM

I think there were few differences among the candidates when it came to the issues which ended up being selected by those running the forums as being the issues.

The bridge, cogen, downtown, air quality, crime, debt, MPB aftermath, economic diversification ....

now let's watch what those elected do about them ....

To see what the electorate wished to be done about them one would really have to ask the electorate ......

W only assume they voted for those who will do what they wanted done about it, but since everyone was virtually on the same page, we really do not know, do we since they had no real choice on who to vote for based on issues.

The bridge won Colin his seat. I would not bet that it will be built where he thinks it will be built. The engineer's report of whether the existing bridge will be able to be repaired to tide us over till a new bridge is completed should weigh heavily on that decision.

Posted by: owl on November 20 2005 11:32 PM

Chadermando ..

One should not have to wonder about such things. Such vote counting procedures should be available to the electorate without even asking for them simply by going to the city's web site.

Posted by: owl on November 20 2005 11:42 PM

Look at 11.3 ... was anyone asked whether they needed an explanation? I was not.

This is not an option, this is a mandatory requirement.

http://www.city.pg.bc.ca/cityhall/bylaws/bylaw6067.pdf

Posted by: owl on November 20 2005 11:45 PM

Wht about 11.3.2 (b) ... the secrecy sleeve? was anyone offered one? .. did anyone know there was such a thing so that they could ask for one?

I know this is the first time I read about it.

Posted by: owl on November 20 2005 11:51 PM

Read 11.3.5 ...

When filling in the ovals with the mrker pens provided, the marks on the ballot are actually exposed when the ballot is reversed, at least they were in my case, and one could tell how many were marked off, if not who it was marked off for. So, the least the clerk at the "vote tabulating" unit would be able to tell is how many ticks for councillor and for school trustee. If one stood there for a while, one may even have a good idea which ones were voted for if one were interested in such matters.