Advance polls, mail-in applications on the rise for Regina municipal election

While Regina’s municipal election doesn’t usually have high voter turnout, people are taking advantage of advance polls and mail-in ballots in 2020.

According to city clerk Jim Nicol, about 3,700 people took advantage of the advance polls on their first day Monday. In the last municipal election in 2016, about 7,300 people went to the advance polls.

Nicol also said mail-in ballot applications have seen a large rise, with about 6,000 having gone out already. In previous years, only about 80 to 120 have gone out.

Nicol said the mail-in ballot does differ from the provincial one in that city hall needs to have received your vote by 8 p.m. Monday in order for it to count.

Drive-through voting was also very successful, with about 400 people voting by that method. Nicol said multiple people inside the vehicle can place their vote at that time, not just the driver.

Nicol said the pandemic and nice weather could be a reason for the high numbers so far, but wouldn’t say those were the exact reasons.

Voter turnout for municipal elections tends to be on the low side, according to Nicol. There are roughly 170,000 to 180,000 eligible to vote in Regina. In 2016, around 36,000 people voted.

The municipal election is set for Monday.