While the number of people hitting the polls in this year’s local government elections rose slightly, voter turnout percentages appear to have fallen in several valley communities.

In Invermere 1,112 people cast ballots for mayor and council according to preliminary election numbers logged with CivicInfo B.C. That’s up slightly from 1,084 that made the decision in 2008’s election, but because CivicInfo has upped the estimated number of potential voters in the district since the last trip to the polls, the percentage for the community fell from about 53 to 50.25 per cent.

A similar story unfolds in Radium Hot Springs, where 164 people turned out for council elections compared to 153 in 2008. Again, changes to the estimated electorate give the village a declining voter turnout, despite the slightly higher number of actual voters. This year, it’s 31 per cent compared to 34 in 2008.

However, both communities beat the provincial average of 29.47 per cent. Voter turnout was not available for  regional districts at press time.