Municipal Election Day has landed in Thunder Bay, and John Hannam hopes the city’s ramped up efforts to convince people to get out and vote will return the city to its historical voter turnout levels.
There are plenty of signs that it might, said the city clerk, who upped the election spending budget from its usual $300,000 in an attempt to eradicate voter apathy, which led to just 38.5 per cent of eligible voters hitting the polls in 2006.
Hannam is looking for 50 per cent or more.
"Ideally it certainly should be much higher than that," Hannam said. "Anything above 50 per cent would certainly be an encouraging sign."
Early indications show it might have worked. As of 11 a.m. 3,158 voters had visited the polls across the city, 730 more than at the same time in 2006. That's a 30 per cent increase.
It starts with a tightly contested mayor’s race, which didn’t materialize four years ago, when Mayor Lynn Peterson took a staggering 84.9 per cent of the vote, facing off against fringe candidates Jim Gamble and Doug Mackay.
With Peterson and challengers Keith Hobbs, Frank Pullia, Jeff Irwin and Colin Burridge expected to battle it down to the wire on Monday night, it could convince more people to take the time to cast a ballot.
"Research into elections show that if there is a active mayor’s race, and other key races as well, that helps with voter turnout. There certainly is an active race for mayor this year, and races in all the wards, so we hope that contributes to voter turnout," Hannam said.
But it doesn’t always work.
In 2006, when Coun. Linda Rydholm and Coun. Mark Bentz were acclaimed in Neebing and Northwood respectively, voter turnout was higher than in other wards.
"An active race doesn’t always result in voter turnout," he said.
About 3,800 people voted in the advance polls, on par with previous elections, Hannam said, adding it’s difficult to make a connection between these numbers and what will unfold on Election Day. This year’s vote is a couple of weeks earlier than usual, placing the advance polls a little closer to the actual day of the vote.
This could affect advance-polling numbers.
"The urgency to vote may be lessened by that, so the turnout at advance polls being on par with previous elections is perhaps an indication that the voter turnout is going to be a strong one."
Short of driving people to the polls, Hannam said the city clerk’s office done everything they can to encourage more people to vote in 2010.
In fact, they actually drove the polls to the people this time around, using a mobile voter’s van to set up polling stations at key locations around the city during advance polling dates. They’ve also spent heavily on marketing the election.
"We’ve had a very aggressive advertising campaign to make sure voters are aware of the election, how to get on the voters list and where and when to vote," Hannam said. "That was in response to the downturn in voter turnout in 2006.
"As well we leased new vote tabulators and that cost us more than in 2006."
All told, there will be 27 polling stations set up around the city on Monday, with an additional 28 special polls set up in seniors’ residences and other key locations to provide accessibility to those who might not be able to get out to vote.
Four polling stations – the Italian Cultural Centre, the 55 Plus Centre, the Da Vinci Centre and the West Thunder Community Centre – have been designated as super polls, where residents from all seven wards can vote. Otherwise one must go to their designated polling centre in their ward.
To vote one should bring their voter registration card and a piece of government-issued identification. Anyone not on the voter’s list can be added, provided they show proof of residency.
Polls close at 8 p.m. Hannam said the first results will probably roll in shortly after that, but after that there will be a slight delay as tabulators are closed down and returned to city hall for official certification of the results.
There are approximately 81,000 voters registered for Monday’s election.
