Dramatic advanced polling numbers in Castlegar by-election
By Castlegar Source
Early response to Castlegar’s by-election has been outstanding, with fully 674 people taking advantage of the advanced polling on Oct. 18 and 19, as well as 48 new registrations (Castlegar currently has 5,812 registered voters), according to Chief Electoral Officer Tracey Butler.
“That’s very high, for Castlegar,” Butler said.
It is, in fact, a massive early turn-out in comparison to the 2013 by-election, which saw 216 early voters, and the 2008 by-election which drew just 92 people to advanced polls – by-elections tend to draw fewer voters overall, with 2013’s only bringing in 971 votes total, while the 2008 by-election saw only 1,071 ballots cast. The winner in 2008, Raymond Koehler, won with 256 votes, by a margin of only 39 votes.
“Every vote counts in a by-election,” said councillor Florio Vassilakakis who, himself, won his seat in a by-election in 2013 by a margin of 164 votes. “Each person has only one vote, unlike in a general election, where you’ll be voting for several candidates.
“A by-election can be so close – because you don’t have as many people out, you don’t get as broad an indication of what the community wants. That was true for me, as well.
“Whoever’s more successful at getting their supporters out to vote, wins the election.”
He said this particular by-election underscores the importance of showing up to help decide the direction of city council.
“There are some pretty defined routes the candidates want to take us in,” he said. “It’s vital that residents make informed choices about who they want to shape the future of our community.”
The four candidates running are: Arry Dhillon, Tyler Maddocks, Cherryl McLeod and Janna Sylvest.
Voting on the day of the general election will be conducted as follows:
General voting will be open to qualified electors of the City of Castlegar on Saturday, Oct. 29 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Castlegar & District Recreation Complex at 2101– 6 Ave.
Special voting opportunities will be open on Saturday, Oct. 29 at:
●Talarico Place, 709 –10 Street, Castlegar, B.C. V1N 2H7, from 1 – 2 p.m. and;
● Castleview Care Centre, 2300 –14 Ave., Castlegar, B.C. V1N 4A6, from 3 –4 p.m.
Only those qualified electors who are patients or staff of Talarico Place or Castleview Care Centre at the time of voting may vote at this special voting opportunity.
Curbside voting:
Where a request is made to the Chief Election Officer and/or Deputy Election Officer for a mobile voting station to be brought outside the place of voting, so that a person who has a physical disability or whose mobility is impaired to the extent that they cannot physically enter the place of voting, an Elector can vote from within their vehicle. Curbside voting will be available on General Voting Day at the Castlegar & District Recreation Complex, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, visit http://castlegar.ca/byelection2016.php
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