SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Even if residents have previously voted in a Yellowknife city election, they need to re-register before casting their ballot on Oct. 19.

Copies of the voters list are now available at locations around Yellowknife. As of Friday 5,400 names were on the list. - Elizabeth McMillan/NNSL photo

"We decided to start from scratch. We're developing an ongoing list, so we had to make sure the information is accurate," said Debbie Gillard, the city clerk.

The 2009 voters list didn't automatically include residents who previously registered. The new list will be used in future elections.

As of Friday, when the list was posted at various locations around town, 5,400 people were on it.

This number is lower than in past years when 7,000 to 8,000 people were registered to vote.

Gillard said she didn't want to speculate as to why the number was lower but said "there may have been people on it who moved away since that time."

People can find out if they're on the list by phoning the city or checking out a voters list posted at various locations around Yellowknife, including the city pool and the library.

The city conducted door-to-door registration in August. People can sign up online, by phone or in person at city hall.

If people show up to vote on election day and haven't registered, they can still vote if they bring identification and register on the spot.

"We can swear them in at the poll," said Gillard. "It might just take a little longer."

She anticipates a few people will do this but said most people have been making an effort to register.

Gillard said 40 per cent of eligible voters usually cast ballots. That number was lower in the last election when only 29 per cent of registered voters made it to the polling stations.