NANAIMO — More people took the time to cast a ballot in Saturday’s municipal election than did four years ago.
Following a dismal 23.93 per cent voter turnout in the City of Nanaimo for the 2022 election, roughly 31.63 per cent showed up on Saturday, Oct. 17, through two days of advance voting, or used mail-in ballots.
Election officials counted 25,450 votes from approximately 80,464 eligible electors, who chose Leonard Krog as the City’s Mayor for the next four years, as well as six incumbents returning alongside two rookie councillors.
Exact numbers will shift slightly this week, as data on the number of people who registered to vote on election day itself was not immediately available.
A similar story was told across the region.
In Parksville, turnout rose to 38.89 per cent, compared to 33.75 per cent four years ago.
A total of 4,391 votes were cast to help elect new Mayor Mary Beil and six councillors, nearly 1,000 more ballots than in 2022.
Voters in the Town of Qualicum Beach elected Adam Walker as their new Mayor, with 55.36 per cent of eligible electors casting 4,733 ballots out of 8,549 eligible electors, with just under 300 more people voting than the last election.
Turnout in the municipality in 2022 was 53.02 per cent and led the mid-Island.
Lantzville voters were not required to vote for a new Mayor, with Mark Swain acclaimed in the position after running unopposed.
Four councillors were elected by 1,727 voters, representing a 54.57 per cent voter turnout, up from 49.92 per cent last election cycle.
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