NANAIMO — It's almost voting time in Nanaimo once again since the nomination period for the upcoming July 8 by-election has closed.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Sheila Gurrie, as of 4 p.m. Friday, June 2, 13 candidates had turned in their nomination papers after a man named Neil Saunders handed in his application “at the last minute.”

It's being held to replace former councillor Wendy Pratt, who resigned.

The last by-election was held in 2011 to fill the seat of Larry McNabb after he passed away late in 2010.

There were six candidates in the previous by-election, less than half the number of candidates running this year.

According to official results, roughly 6,300 ballots were cast in 2011, which is slightly more than 10 per cent voter turnout.

Gurrie said it's likely turnout was so low since the by-election was removed from the larger civic election and it was only one position.

She couldn't comment as to why the number of candidates more than doubled for the 2017 by-election, saying from her own observations “there seems to be a lot of interest in local politics these days.”

A full list of candidates can be found online.

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