Winnipeggers disengaged in election, lowering voter turnout: polling
Many Winnipeggers are not interested in or following the civic races as October's election day ticks closer, a poll released earlier this summer shows.
Recent polls reveal a worrying trend among Winnipeg residents as the city approaches its upcoming election. With voter turnout decreasing year-over-year, many citizens seem disinterested in the civic races and the potential impact of their votes. Political science professor Aaron Moore from the University of Winnipeg cites the city's fiscal constraints as a contributing factor to voter apathy, stating, "The city is cash-strapped and not really in a position to do much.
People are going to be disengaged because we can vote, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change anything."
Historical data from 2014 to 2022 shows a steady decline in Winnipeg's voter turnout, with just 37.5 per cent of the population casting ballots in 2022, compared to 42 per cent in 2018 and a high of 50 per cent in 2014. According to a recent survey conducted by Probe Research and Abacus Data for the Winnipeg Free Press, 46 per cent of Winnipeggers do not intend to vote for incumbent Mayor Scott Gillingham in the upcoming election.
Gillingham secured 27.54 per cent of the vote in 2022, narrowly edging out his opponent Glen Murray, who received 25 per cent.
The discrepancy in public sentiment and the declining voter turnout underscore the urgent need to engage citizens in the democratic process. The potential repercussions of low voter participation could further weaken the city's ability to address pressing issues and improve the quality of governance.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
