Kamloops Voters Society on a quest to increase voter turnout in civic election

COFFEE WITH THE ARMCHAIR MAYOR — Brad Harrison and Randy Sunderman of the Kamloops Voters Society are on a mission — to increase the turnout at this November’s civic election by 10 per cent over the dismal 29 per cent three years ago.

Their quest took them to the sidewalk patio at Blenz, where they were already in discussions by the time I plugged the parking kiosk and sat down with them for Coffee With The Armchair Mayor, which ran this morning on CBC Daybreak Kamloops. (The interview is posted on the CBC website.)

“A general decline in voter participation,” is how Randy Sunderman described the problem. In B.C. average turnout has declined from 70 per cent in 1983 to only 51 per cent now, and municipal elections are following the trend.

In fact, civic votes are at the bottom end of the participation scale.

“It’s inverse to what they should be because typically municipal elections have the lowest voter turnout and, really, that’s the place where you can make the most change because it’s a local vote,” said Harrison.

On that I couldn’t agree more. “City Hall is closest to the people,” I said. “It’s the purest form of democracy that we have in our system.”

That’s because of accessibility. In Kamloops, we have nine people and a City Hall downtown to whom we can complain any day of the week about potholes, parking rates and barking dogs. Yet it’s become a failure when it comes to attracting people to the polls.

“And that’s one of the issues for us, to stem that downward flow,” said Sunderman.

“I just think society is a little more introspective, concerned with themselves so there’s less engagement in all things that don’t directly affect them,” added Harrison, trying to explain the drop in interest in civic affairs.

Sunderman pointed out that demographics play a role. In the 70 to 74-year-old age group, voter turnout remains high at about 74 per cent. But in the 24 and under group, only a third bother to vote.

I suggested a correlation between the mayoralty and turnout. In years when an incumbent mayor is running, the turnout drops. When there’s no incumbent, the turnout increases because of a perception that voters can influence change, whereas incumbents are typically considered status quo and unmovable.

Voters aren’t entirely wrong in that — few incumbent mayors have ever been turfed in Kamloops.

“Competitive races certainly do bring the numbers up,” Sunderman agreed, pointing out that a competitive race in the Kamloops-North Thompson riding in the last B.C. election resulted in a 71 per cent turnout, the highest in the province.

What about online voting? Studies indicate it doesn’t increase turnout.

The KVS has a three-point plan for increasing turnout: access, engagement and information. For example, a  polling station at TRU might get more students and faculty to vote. Student union elections typically draw less than 10 per cent so that might be a challenge but it’s worth a try.

A general issue that can be addressed is the confusion voters feel in civic elections. Trying to figure out two dozen or even 30 or more candidates is a daunting task, one that some probably just give up on.

So the KVS wants to draw up a candidate matrix that will provide an easy and effective way of matching voters’ own civic priorities to those seeking office.

The information piece includes raising awareness of such things as the fact you don’t need to vote for eight councillors if you only know or support three or four.

So, I said, the good thing about this is that it’s measurable. On the night of Nov. 15 the numbers will tell us if the KVS has accomplished its goal. If it does, the KVA election-night party could be the happiest of all.