Granisle may be one of the smaller municipalities in B.C. but it has a voter turnout for local elections that historically has exceeded the provincial average.
And Granisle mayor is encouraging voters to once again take part in the 2022 municipal elections.
“Voters are encouraged to take the time to become involved in our democratic process by voting in our upcoming municipal elections,” said McGuire last week.
“Voters will have options to vote in either the advance polls or on Election Day, October 15th. Each and every vote is important,” she said.
McGuire, who is being returned to office by acclamation, made the comment last week while attending the Union of BC Municipalities annual convention in Whistler.
Going back to 2008, there was a turnout of 60.9 per cent when nine people ran for the four council elections and there was an election for mayor.
The voting percentage was much better than the provincial average of 29 per cent for that election year.
In terms of numbers, the percentage turnout for Granisle worked out to 182 people casting ballots and 117 who did not.
Three of the nine candidates were women and one of the three was elected.
Data supplied by civicnet indicates that none of the nine candidates or two of the mayoral candidates were incumbents.
Granisle’s habit of high voter turnout continued in 2011 when voter turnout was 75 per cent, once again far higher than the provincial average of 30.6 per cent.
When it came to voter numbers, 202 people turned out to vote and 68 did not, based on the voters list.
There was also a mayoral election and seven candidates for the four council positions.
Of the seven candidates, four were on the existing council and of those four incumbents, two were re-elected.
There was no need for any local civic election in 2014 because the mayor and four incumbents were returned by acclamation.
Voting returned for the Village of Granisle council in 2018 when there were six candidates for the four council position. Linda McGuire was returned as mayor by acclamation.
Of those six candidates, three were incumbents and of those three, two were returned to office.
Even without a mayoral race, voter turnout was 57 per cent and once again, higher than the provincial average of 36 per cent.
In that 2018 election, 160 people out of 283 eligible voters turned out at the polls.
And in this 2022 election, there are five candidates for the four council positions. All four existing councillors — Karen Barber, Kathy Bedard, Marilyn Berglund and Calvin Thompson are running again and are joined by newcomer Heather Dedio.
The ratio of female to male candidates is far greater than the provincial average.
While Oct. 15 is general voting day, there is an advance poll and that date is Oct. 5.