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Election 2014: Voter turnout remained low in Creston at 44 per cent

In Creston, only 44 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots, the percentage and number of votes up marginally from 2011...
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Despite efforts to get the vote out in local government elections, Saturday’s voter turnout continues a general trend that indicates a general lack of interest.

“It’s perplexing,” said Creston Mayor Ron Toyota. “With so much at stake in the way of taxes and services, and with the acknowledgment that our forefathers fought to protect our right to vote, you’d think everyone would take an interest.”

In Creston, even with a senior population that typically votes in greater numbers than younger people, only 44 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots. The percentage and number of votes were up marginally from 2011.

In the Kootenays, Creston was in the middle of the pack. Fernie, where Mayor Mary Giuliano was returned by acclamation, had a low 27 per cent turnout. In Cranbrook, general voter dissatisfaction resulted in an entirely new city council (including former Creston councillor Wesly Graham) being elected with only a 39 per cent turnout.

Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff was re-elected with 40 per cent of eligible voters casting ballots.

Nelson, with one of the Kootenays’ youngest population bases, boasted a 50 per cent turnout that resulted in longtime incumbent John Dooley being turfed in favour of popular former councillor Deb Kozak.

Half of Kimberley’s eligible voters turned out to elect Don McCormick as mayor by a 159-vote margin over Ron McRae.

In one of the more unusual elections, Rossland incumbent Mayor Greg Granstrom chose to run for a seat on council. He finished dead last among the eight candidates vying for six council seats, capturing only 444 votes compared to John Greene and Tim Thatcher, who tied with 788 votes. The four top vote-getters — Aaron Cosbey, Marten Kruysee, Andrew Zwicker and Andrew Morel — each earned more than 1,200 votes.

Trail also drew out 50 per cent of eligible voters, who chose Mike Martin, a former manager of Teck Trail Operations. He nearly doubled the votes for union leader Doug Jones.

Overall, interest in the Kootenays was well ahead of that in larger urban centres. The highly publicized race in Vancouver that returned Mayor Gregor Robertson for a third term only attracted a 36 per cent turnout. Victoria’s turnout was slightly less at 35 per cent and Kelowna drew only 30 per cent of eligible voters out.

Turnout percentages for rural races were not available at press time.

One change in Creston that stood out in 2014 was the use of a vote counting machine that immediately rejected mismarked ballots, providing voters the opportunity to correct errors. Vote counts were announced within about an hour after polls closed. By contrast, Regional District of Central Kootenay and School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) vote counts were not posted on the province’s Civic Info BC website until around midnight.