It's not up by much, but it's up.

There were 214 Whitehorse residents who exercised their right to vote Thursday in the advance poll for the Oct. 15 municipal election.

For the 2006 election – when the bottom fell out of the overall voter turnout – 200 people voted in the advance poll.

Nine years ago, when there were a whopping 32 candidates for the six positions as councillor and six candidates for mayor, 51 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots on election day.

In 2003, 49 per cent exercised their right.

Three years ago, when there were just eight candidates for councillor, and four candidates for mayor, just under 40 per cent of elected voters turned out.

By comparison, in the 2006 territorial election held just 10 days before the municipal election, 73 per cent of eligible Yukon voters turned out to the polls.

There are 12 candidates running for councillor and two for mayor; incumbent Mayor Bev Buckway and longtime Whitehorse businessman Al Fedoriak.

While the city's population is up by 2,000 from three years ago, at 25,636; the number of eligible voters is down from 10,717 in 2006 to 10,700, Whitehorse returning officer Norma Felker confirmed this week.

Felker said there was an increasing number of eligible voters who declined to be enumerated over concerns of privacy, and not wanting their names to appear on such a public list.

Those who might be out of town next Thursday, or who can't vote for one reason or another, can go to city hall during normal business hours and vote by special ballot.

There were will be a mobile poll on voting day visiting institutions and individual residences, Felker explained.

She said residents who can't make it out to polls, for reasons of health or otherwise, can call city hall and make arrangements to have the mobile poll swing by.

Polls will open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on voting day.

Residents below the escarpment, and south of Robert Service Way, vote at the High Country Inn's Convention Centre.

Everybody above the escarpment, north of Robert Service Way to the Fish Lake Road, vote at Takhini Arena.

Porter Creek residents, and everybody north, vote at Jack Hulland Elementary School, in the small gym at the rear.