By Lara Fominoff @fomsy1 on Twitter

Final advance voting numbers encouraging, says Lethbridge Returning Officer

Oct 16, 2017 | 1:53 PM

LETHBRIDGE – More people came out and voted in Lethbridge’s advance polls for the 2017 civic election, than in any local civic election in at least 10 years, according to Returning Officer Aleta Neufeld.
 
“In 2007 we had 1,422, 2010 we had 2,565, and then 2013 we had that 3,421 and then here in 2017 we had 3,912.”
 
Nearly 1,500 people showed up to City Hall last Saturday (Oct. 14) alone, to cast their ballots.
 
Neufeld says citizens were able to take advantage of about half a dozen advance polling locations and dates leading up to today, (Oct. 16) including the new mobile voting bus. And she hopes that all of the reminders also contributed to the increase in numbers this time around.
 
“It’s really important when we’re planning for an election that we actually remind and let the community know that there is an election, and communicate that through various ways, whether it be through signage or digital signs or social media. And we would like to hope that because of raising the level of advertising that we have been doing, that it does encourage more voters to get out and vote.”
 
Polls are open throughout the city today, until 8 p.m.
 
For those who need transportation, city buses are free for the day.
 
Everyone who votes must have one piece of ID that shows their name and current address. Photo ID is not required.