1 week Ago By Regina Leader-Post
Article content Regina saw a small boost in voter turnout that breaks a stagnating trend from the past three election cycles, but people may have felt that increase most acutely while waiting in line at the polls Wednesday night. Of the estimated 204,832 eligible voters in Regina, the city says 52,949 — or 26 per cent of them — cast a ballot over the course of the 2024 municipal and school board elections. This reflects a five-per-cent increase (about 10,000 more voters) compared to the 21 per cent who participated in the 2020 municipal election and a six-per-cent increase from 20 per cent in 2016.
“It is great. Small steps, but we do have a ways to go,” said returning officer and city clerk Jim Nicol on Thursday morning. “When 20 to 25 per cent of a population the size of Regina is voting and making decisions on matters, it does beg the question: what are the other 75 per cent thinking or doing?” A total of 33,607 ballots were cast on election day at 34 polling stations across the city.
Another 15,190 votes were cast during advance polls from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4, which is a bump of more than 800 over 2020 levels, the city says.
There were also 2,457 mail-in ballots cast and another 1,695 at special polls. Nicol said the increased number of voters was likely a big reason for the long lineups — some an hour or more — that remained after polls were supposed to close at 8 o’clock on Wednesday night. An estimated 75 to 80 per cent of the 34 polling stations across the city still had voters waiting in line after 8 p.
m., according to the city. Because citizens have the right to vote if they arrive before polls close, Nicol said the backlogs did delay the delivery of final results because polls couldn’t report until the lines had cleared.
“I respectfully say it’s not the worst thing to hear because that’s a great sign that people are engaged,” said Nicol. Despite criticism over long waits, Nicol said he felt voting was made as convenient as possible with five total days for residents to cast their ballots. He also noted that some times of day, like after 5 p.
m., will always be busier. “I do feel for them,” Nicol said of voters.
“We prepared as best we could, based on historical voter turnout.” While it’s possible to add more polls or poll workers for the next election, Nicol noted it would come with an increased cost. This election had a budget of $1.
2 million, half of which was shouldered by the school boards. The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.
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