Only 34 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot in Monday’s municipal election in St. Albert. This is down from the 37 per cent recorded in 2007, when there was much consternation about voter apathy.
“It’s not great turnout,” said Chris Belke, St. Albert’s returning officer.
Among the nine polling stations across the city, the lowest turnout — 27 per cent — was recorded at the station where residents of Mission and downtown voted. The highest turnout was 39 per cent, recorded at the station that served Lacombe Park residents.
Edmonton’s voter turnout improved from 27 per cent to 34 per cent this election while Calgary reached a 30-year record of 54 per cent and Airdrie reached 50 per cent.
But both those cities had tight mayoralty races.
One St. Albert observer noted the local mayoral race wasn’t really in doubt this time around, which may have kept some people at home.
Council newcomer Malcolm Parker echoed this sentiment.
“Probably most people thought the incumbent mayor would get back in, so whether they just took that for granted and didn’t show up, I don’t know,” he said.
That theory discounts the value of council and the fact that there was a diverse group with a range of opinions seeking office, he said.
“That’s an important part of the team too and that should have been a motivator to get people out,” Parker said.
He added that some people contacted him wondering where to vote or to voice concern that they had to go to an unfamiliar location to vote this time.
Belke said only one location changed since the last election and all locations were advertised in the Gazette and on the city’s website.
The city rolled out an advertising campaign in an attempt to make the election inescapable for residents. The campaign included posters in washrooms of three local watering holes, a lighted projection on the side of the St. Albert Inn & Suites on Friday evening and divider bars in local grocery stores.
The $10,000-plus campaign also included traditional newspaper ads and digital signs in local venues.
“If they’re aware of it and choose not to vote, that’s a different issue and it’s harder for us to affect that,” Belke said.
“It was impossible to miss that it’s election time,” said Mike Kluttig, the city’s communications director. “Despite the voter turnout, we definitely took the campaign to a different level this time around.”
Voter Kasia Leszczynski, 26, commented that election advertising isn’t geared towards young people. She suggested the use of social media like Facebook.
“To be honest, if the paper wasn’t at work, I probably wouldn’t be reading it,” she said. “It’s important to vote and I don’t think we understand as the younger generation how important it is, so put it in our face.”
