Voter turnout crawls upward in Saskatoon, Regina

Despite a noticeable increase in the voter turnout in Saskatoon and Regina, the number of people who cast ballots in the municipal election remains well below the 50 per cent mark in those cities.

Here are the numbers:

Saskatoon:

• Eligible voters (2012): 180,411.
• Votes cast (2012): 66,497.
• Turnout (2012): 36 per cent.
• Turnout (2009): 26 per cent.

Regina:

• Eligible voters (2012): 160,000.
• Votes cast (2012): 51,103.
• Turnout (2012): 33 per cent.
• Turnout (2009): 21 per cent.

The continued low turnout rankles some, who wonder why so many people choose to stay home.

Liz Nguyen's father was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, who eventually was able to escape captivity and make his way to Canada to start a new life.

She said it is disappointing that people living in a democracy, especially compared to what her father endured, do not take voting more seriously.

"So I think of him and he's so engaged in a city that he was transplanted in," Nguyen said Thursday. "And then I see, you know, 68 per centof people who didn't come out to vote. That's a little bit disheartening."

She added that some of the excuses she has heard from people who don't vote do not wash with her.

"It's a long line," she said, noting a popular complaint of non-voters. "You know, there are people who have fought for the right to vote and all you have to do is stand in line to do it? It's not that big of a deal."