Elections P.E.I. hopes voter turnout increases for municipal election

Municipal elections on P.E.I. are a week away, but some have already showed up to vote in advance polls.

Tim Garrity, chief electoral officer for Elections P.E.I., said the voter turnout in the first advance poll on Saturday ranged from 8.5 per cent in Summerside to 5.5 per cent in Three Rivers.

The second advance poll was Monday. The third and last advance poll is Friday. Election day is Nov. 7.

Garrity said there were challenges finding people to run in municipal elections this year, and he hopes it doesn't translate into fewer people voting.

"Historically, municipal elections have always been a bit of a lower turnout than the provincial elections so we always want to see — what I always want to see — is 100 per cent turnout … but the numbers are a little bit low and sometimes this just needs to pick up speed a little bit."