Nenshi criticizes Tories for early vote, predicts ‘ historically low’ turnout
Mayor Naheed Nenshi blasted the governing Tories on Wednesday for launching an early provincial campaign, saying Calgarians “are not happy about this election.”
Political opponents and analysts have already criticized Premier Jim Prentice for calling an election a year before the province’s fixed election date, although the premier insists he needs a mandate for his new financial plan.
At a news conference about a new transit app for the city, however, Nenshi also targeted the timing of the May 5 vote.
“If we’re in a world where it’s difficult to find $ 200,000 to investigate the deaths of children in care, to then find $ 30 million to run an election ... it’s a tough argument for me to make if I were in that shoe,” Nenshi said.
In February, the provincial government cut $ 275,000 from the office of the Child and Youth Advocate, which investigates deaths and serious injuries of children in government care or who have received government services. Days later, the province revoked $ 546,000 from the auditor general’s budget.
Nenshi said he’s expecting “historically low” voter turnout next month.
“What I’m hearing from Calgarians over and over again is they’re not happy about this election,” he said. “They’re not happy about spending up to $ 30 million on the election, but they are not convinced that there are really good options and choices for them.”
Prentice declined to comment on the mayor’s concerns about a costly and needless election, but said Tuesday he believes the province has reached a turning point that called for such a measure.
“Our government has put forward a 10- year plan and Albertans now need the opportunity to judge that plan,” Prentice said while launching his campaign.
On an Edmonton radio program on Wednesday, he continued to defend the decision to take Albertans to the polls.
“Whether an election is held next year or this year, it’s going to cost exactly the same,” he said. “In fact, there are so many people stepping aside in the legislature ... that it also avoids the cost of byelections.”
Experts are predicting the 28day campaign could lead to weak turnout at the ballot box. Voter turnout for the 2008 provincial election was just 40 per cent — the lowest in Canadian history for a provincial vote.
“The mayor’s right,” said Duane Bratt, a political analyst at Mount Royal University. “I expect this to be even lower.”
Voter turnout in provincial elections across the country has been declining for years, Bratt noted.
“We saw a spike in the 2012 Alberta election at around 60 per cent,” he said. “That was due to a competitive election. In the absence of that, I think we’re going to go back to where it was.”
Bratt said the May 5 election won’t be competitive, with some opposition parties simply aiming for “second place.” He pointed to “extenuating circumstances” that could cause turnout to plunge even lower.
“You also have increased voter cynicism related to the early election, the floor crossings by the Wildrose party, so I think there’s some disgust with the political system,” he said. “But instead of that being mobilized against the government, or mobilized for someone, you’re going to see a lot of apathetic voters simply staying at home.”
Nenshi said the city will be “very engaged” in the conversation around the election. He plans to relaunch the website citiesmatter.ca, which was most recently used to gather responses and opinions from the PC leadership candidates about municipal issues.
“I’m encouraging all of the parties to really come out with their plans, specifically their plans on urban issues, on infrastructure, on how cities are dealt with and share those with the public,” Nenshi said.