by Carl BR Johnson
May 16, 2013
Photo by stock photo — A voter readies his ballot at O’Brien Centre on Tuesday.
People came out in droves to cast their ballots for this election, with an additional 8.5 per cent of registered voters participating.
Turnout rose from 38 per cent, one of the lowest in the province, to 46.5 percent, with 8,415 taking the time to fill in a ballot.
It was also higher in Peace River North, where the percentage of people who turned out increased by about 15.5 per cent over the 2009 election.
However, the turnout in the Peace Region was still lower than the average across the province, which was 52.2 per cent, or 1,628,524 out of a possible 3,116,626 voters.
This represents a 3.7 per cent lower turnout for Peace South and a 4.7 per cent lower turnout for Peace North turnout than the provincial average.
Dawson Creek City Councillor Charlie Parslow, acting mayor of Dawson Creek for May and June, said that voter turnout, “has been a problem at all levels of elections in the Peace Region.”
Parslow said that there have been efforts to increase awareness of the political issues by his government but was at a loss for the reason so many did not decide to come out and vote in the Peace South region.
“I’m dumbfounded,” said Parslow.
“Why the Peace South Region’s voter turnout would be lower than the provincial average is beyond me.”
Parslow was not only uncertain for the low voter turnout but also appeared to be somewhat upset.
As he sees it, voter involvement is an important aspect of our democratic society – the issues that were raised before the candidates affect everyone in the region.
“This election was such an important election and certainly the issues that were raised would have affected many peoples’ livelihood,” he said.
“It’s a sad commentary.”
Lori Ackerman, mayor of Fort. St. John, offered several reasons as to why the overall voter turnout for Peace North was lower than the provincial average.
She said that many of her constituents have complained that the hours for voting are unworkable, considering the type of jobs they have.
Oil and gas workers have been asking for more time to vote – and not getting it. The government requires companies to offer up to four hours off on election day.
“Many (voters in the Fort St. John area) have been asking for longer voting hours,” said Ackerman.
She pointed to the fact that many are simply not aware that the law does allow them to take time off of work with no penalties allowed to vote whenever they can.
“In Canada, it is allowed within the law to take time off to work to vote,” she said.
Ackerman conceded that the Fort St. John area is unique regarding the type of jobs and professions being offered – drilling rigs for example, that are fairly far away from many voting stations.
“But, considering where many of my constituents work – out in the oil fields, so far away from the voting stations in our city,” she said.
“If it’s extremely inconvenient to drive all the way in, they won’t.”
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