The article on the turnout for the July 8 byelection was fair but not particularly analytical nor was the letter to the editor.
First, municipal elections in B.C. on average see about 30% of eligible electors voting so to Mary Martin’s point about ability to complain about local government, she is right. When you take it to the federal level, we have been governed based on choices made by 22-28% of eligible voters because turnout is so poor.
We need a system as per Australia wherein one is fined for not voting federally.
Byelections do not draw the same level of electorate participation traditionally. Council in its infinite wisdom chose early July and a week after schools closed to hold an election. How clever was that? This has to be a contributing factor.
How many voters were away? We were.
Yes early voting is possible. I wonder how many took advantage of that compared to a general election. In the end, it is what it is.
I am old enough to know that it doesn’t matter anymore who is in charge at any level of government. The more things are expected to change the more they tend to remain the same.
Alex Currie
North Saanich
