Premier Dennis Fentie's decision to call an election nine days before the territory's fixed Oct. 19 municipal vote has contributed to fewer names on city ballots.

The premier's decision will also likely mean a low voter turnout, says a University of Alberta civic affairs expert.

In an interview this morning, Dr. Jim Lightbody, whose area of expertise includes municipal politics and elections, said Fentie's decision to drop the territorial writ so close to city and town elections has and will negatively impact the municipal elections.

'It is unusual to interfere with municipal elections,' Lightbody said.

'On a provincial level, (politicians) would factor in the municipal elections because people can get distracted; people only have so much energy.

'I have to wonder what was going through your premier's mind.'

Lightbody said it's normal for provincial/territorial politicians to take into consideration municipal councils when deciding when to send the electorate to the polls.

'The premiers of the provinces are very conscious of (municipal elections) and try not to step on the toes of city councils.

'It's kind of a courtesy. It's bad form in the informal world of political gladiators,' he said. 'It seems discourteous to local governments to schedule a territorial election so close to a municipal one.'

Lightbody said having the two campaigns coincide with each other would likely mean a lower voter turnout than what would be considered normal come Oct. 19.

In the municipal elections, the number of people who put their names forward for Whitehorse city council by Thursday's noon deadline was lower than in previous years. As reported in Thursday's Star, eight people are running for council and four are running for the mayor's office. The mayoral candidates are incumbent Ernie Bourassa, Coun. Bev Buckway, veteran firefighter Ray Kitz and cab driver Robert Barry.

In the February 2005 byelection, which saw Coun. Jan Stick take office, there were 10 candidates.

In the 2003 municipal election, according to the city's returning officer, 16 people put their names forward for council's six seats and five for mayor.

In 2000, there were 32 candidates for council and six for mayor.

In 1997, there were 17 candidates for council and three for mayor.

In other areas of the territory, the number of people putting their names forward varied.

In Mayo, the four seats for council and the one for mayor have been decided by acclamation, meaning there will be no election.

In the Village of Teslin, there are nine people running for four council seats and two people running for the mayor's office.

In the Town of Watson Lake, there are eight people running for four seats and three people running for mayor.

In Faro, there are three people vying for the mayor's seat and five people seeking the four available council seats.

When asked for his opinion on the number of people putting their names forward in Whitehorse, former longtime councillor Duke Connelly called the situation in Whitehorse disappointing.

'It's unfortunate; it doesn't leave people with much of a choice,' he said.

'I don't think people are happy with who they have on council right now.'

He said he didn't agree with Fentie's choice of a territorial election date and believes it's having a negative effect on municipal ones.

'Municipal elections are fixed. I would say, knowing Fentie for what he is, he probably did it deliberately. He doesn't give a damn about anything but himself.'

Connelly also said many potential candidates with business backgrounds likely avoided putting their names forward for fear of being blamed for the cost overruns at the Canada Games Centre.

'They've taken a look at what it's going to cost us over the next three years and decided not to run.

'(City council) is stuck with a lemon.'

Bourassa said this morning he had hoped more people would have put their names on the Oct. 19 ballot.

'Disappointing' would be the word I would use. We saw more interest in the last byelection,' the mayor said.

'I would have hoped more people would have put their name forward. I don't know if this means that people are happy with the job we're doing or not; I'm just not sure.

'With the territorial election, there is a possibility that drew some potential candidates who may have put their name forward for the municipal election,' Bourassa said.

Fentie told the Star this morning he doesn't feel his decision to call an election for Oct. 10 has negatively affected municipal politics in the territory.

'There is no correlation between the turnout of people putting their names forward in the municipal elections and the calling of the election, in my mind.

'The government has a duty to call an election before Nov. 4, the end date of our mandate,' Fentie said.

'I have no issue in terms of the timing of the election.'