WATCH: Voting centres across Victoria were busy today with a strong and steady turnout, with many people waiting between twenty minutes to an hour to cast a ballot. As Kori Sidaway tells us, this may be an indication of things to come.
Proudly showing off their “I voted” stickers, Victorians showed up in droves to cast their ballots.
Lines snaked through local voting centres, down and around the block in some locations.
“It’s a very very long line. It’s all the way down the wall, almost to the other set of doors,” said Gidget Spiers-Harrison.
“All kinds, I mean young, old, men women, lots of people so it’s really encouraging to see that many people involved,” said James Bay resident Betty Davies.
“It was my first time voting in a municipal election.”
From first time voters to long-time voters, Victorians were eager to have their voices heard.
Victoria’s Chief Electoral Office says the voting process has been unchanged since the last election. The long lines? A result of a strong and steady turnout.
Something political analysts say may be an indication of things to come.
“That to me suggests to me that maybe we’re going to see some changes,” said University of Victoria political scientist Michael Prince.
“We’re going to see some status quo incumbents challenged quite strongly. Maybe even some upsets.”
So for what may be a tight 2018 municipal race across the region, many families were looking even farther into the future, bringing along their young children.
“I think it’s important that kids see the process of voting, I know my parents always brought me and my sister along,” said mother of two, Nicole Novakovics.
Both her sons are eager to vote when they come of age, and it’s increased political participation like this, that has analysts relived to see.
“I think once people get into the habit of engaging in the political process… it will then translate likely into their engagement in provincial and federal politics,” said Prince.
“And I think that’s just for the better for democracy.”
With many voters waiting in lines anywhere between 20 minutes to 1 hour, most were saying it’s worth the wait.
Kori Sidaway
