Lethbridge municipal election voter turnout plummets to just 19.4 %

Just one in five eligible voters in Lethbridge cast a ballot in last month’s city hall elections. 

At only 19.4 per cent, the participation rate was half that of Calgary, where falling figures are raising concern.

“It’s shockingly low, even for municipal politics,” said Trevor Harrison, a retired sociology professor at the University of Lethbridge.

Turnout has ranged from 30 to 35 per cent over the last five local elections — rates typical of most of Alberta’s mid-sized cities.

This year, however, it was down almost across the board.

Harrison argues the common factor is a set of new provincial voting regulations that may have dissuaded voters.

“They aren’t in any single locale. It seems that pretty much across the province [that] a lot of voters are very upset, mainly upset with the changes, and saying ‘why did we do it?’” 

In Lethbridge, election officials say reducing the number of stations and expanding advanced voting was done to comply with the new rules for local elections, known as Bill 20, while containing costs.

The southern Alberta city of 110,000 residents ran just three voting “super sites” at strategic locations on election day — down from 14 smaller locations across the city in 2021.

Extremely long lines and turnout in the teens got the attention of mayoral candidates.

“It was very busy — long line-ups on election day, and some people turning away — I don't know what the perfect solution is,” said Mayor Blaine Hyggen, who won a second term on Oct. 20.

“I think we need to look at — and I say ‘we’ as a province, or through our advocacy work — at Bill 20 and some possible changes there … that's something I do want to bring up on behalf of the citizens of Lethbridge.”

He also wants city hall to review local operations and suggest changes.

Runner-up Ryan Mennie said the turnout figure shows a disengaged electorate and “raises serious concerns about the health of our local democracy.”