Rossland is the tenth participant to join the Community Voters Challenge.
The city joins RDCK areas D, E and F, the villages of Kaslo and Nakusp, and the cities of Fernie, Grand Forks, Castlegar, and Nelson in trying to up their voter turnout.
Whichever community can show the greatest percentage increase in voter participation from 2011 will win the challenge. Basing the competition on the change in percentage, rather than the change in number of voters, means that different sized communities can compete fairly.
The challenge will not only be to make sure Rosslanders pack the polls on voting day, but to make sure that everyone is registered to vote.
Rosslanders can check to see whether or not their registered online, and if they need help the staff at the Rossland Library is happy to assist.
To actually register Rosslanders will need to either visit the Trail Elections Canada office or request a Voter Registration Form being mailed to them. Those who register by mail will need to send in copies of photo ID, which library staff is again happy to help with.
The organizers behind the Community Voters Challenge are still calculating all of the community voter turnouts from 2011—a process complicated by advanced voting numbers—but not no doubt Rosslanders, well-known for their competitive spirit, can rise to any challenge and pull off record numbers at the polls.
In her letter accepting the challenge, Mayor Kathy Moore said, “Rossland City Council enthusiastically accepts the Community Voters Challenge. We are in complete agreement that voting is a privilege, a responsibility, a lot of fun and that more people should do it. I believe that if you can get citizens interested in politics and government while they are young, they will be life-long voters. Our democracy will be the stronger for it. Rossland, like Nelson is a very engaged community so… Game On! May the most politically astute and engaged community win!”