Twenty years ago, nearly half of all eligible voters in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) went to the polls to voice their picks for the next mayor (Peter Kelly was the ultimate winner). In 2020, that number was slightly above one third of all eligible voters (Mike Savage won that contest).
Voter turnout is an ongoing concern for many democracies at the federal, provincial (or state), and municipal levels. Halifax, similar to many cities, has seen a slump in voter participation in recent decades.
“The general trend is downward, but there are exceptions,” said Alex Marland, an adjunct faculty member with Saint Mary’s University’s political science department. “In 2015 federally there was an uptick in turnout because there was a lot at stake. When elections are close contests, there is more participation.”
Iain MacLean, a returning officer and municipal clerk for the HRM, is responsible for helping put the upcoming October municipal election …