Vote Dick Carpani for Mayor
  Sarnia Ontario Canada

Chamber wants to boost voter turnout

In a bid to encourage voter turnout in the upcoming municipal election, the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce has launched an innovative website containing information on local candidates.

The project is a joint venture between the chamber and CanWeb Internet Service, aiming to be a one-stop source of information for voters.

Garry McDonald, president of the chamber, said the site www.sarnialambtonvotes.com will contain short biographies on candidates running in all 11 Lambton municipalities.

"It's so they (the public) can get a little more of a rounded opinion of a candidate," McDonald said of the site, which will be updated as people continue to announce their candidacy.

Information about advance poll dates and locations, as well as mail-in voting, is also available on the website.

The project is in part a response to the low voter turnout in recent elections.

Only 37 per cent of eligible voters in Sarnia bothered voting in the 2003 municipal election.

McDonald said he's hoping more people will take the time to access the information with it being posted on the Internet.

"People of all ages are turning to the Internet, but certainly the youth of today are interested in the Internet," said McDonald. "So, making (the information) available in a single spot, hopefully, will encourage more interest and, hopefully, more turnout."

In early September, questions will be put to all the candidates and their written responses will be posted, McDonald said.

Candidates in all 11 Lambton County municipalities are invited to submit a brief biography to the site by e-mailing it to info@sarnialambtonchamber.com.

This year's municipal election takes place Nov. 13

STEPHEN HUEBL The Observer Friday, August 25, 2006