Rise In Voter Turnout Highlights Returning Officer's Report

ARICHAT - Even though Richmond County didn't follow their neighbors' lead in testing electronic and phone voting in last month's municipal elections, the county's returning officer is reporting that county voters heightened their preservce at the polls when compared to the previous vote in 2016. 

Clair Rankin provided an update on the municipal election at the November 9 meeting of Richmond Municipal Council's Committee of the Whole. It was the first public business meeting for the county's five new councilors since they were sworn in two weeks earlier, with Amanda Mombourquette chosen as Richmond's new warden and Michael Diggdon chosen as Deputy Warden.

Rankin noted that 5,030 votes were cast in county on October 17 out of the 7,910 eligible voters on the county's official enumeration list, resulting in a voter turnout of 64 per cent.

"This is something we should all be proud of in Richmond County," Rankin declared. 

In District One, which saw Shawn Samson defeat three challengers including two former councilors, 1,089 votes were cast out of the 1,599 eligible voters, for a district turnout of 68 per cent.

In District Two, where Diggdon held off fellow newcomer Carolyn Clackdoyle and former councilor Gerry Bourque, 853 of the 1,265 eligible voters cast ballots for a turnout of 67 per cent. 

A 68 per cent voter turnout in District Three saw political rookie Melanie Sampson defeat the previous Richmond County Warden, Brian Marchand. 1,628 people were eligible to vote, and 1,112 of those cast their ballots. 

In District Four, which chose Mombourquette over twelve-year council veteran Gilbert Boucher, 1,154 of the 1,779 voters headed to the polls for a district turnout of 65 per cent.

The lowest voter turnout in the county took place in District Five, where 821 of the 1,583 eligible voters marked their ballots, representing 52 per cent. Incumbent councilor Jason MacLean was defeated by fellow L'Ardoise native Brent Sampson in this district.