Politicians are making their final push as voters in the Cowichan Valley get set to decide whether two municipalities – Duncan and North Cowichan – should amalgamate.

The referendum vote is being held Saturday, and ballots will ask whether the municipalities should join together to form a single seven-member council to govern the region's 35,000 residents.

Some, like Duncan Coun. Sharon Jackson, are firmly against amalgamation, saying there is no financial gain in joining the towns together.

"Absolutely no. Under no circumstances," said Jackson. "There is no benefit. The citizen's assembly and the technical report said there'd be no cost savings."

The councillor said she's also worried that a "yes" vote will mean that Duncan could lose its voice in a larger governance model.

"It's a complete and utter loss of autonomy, the loss of our being able to set our own direction," she said, adding that complex legislation like zoning bylaws would need to be merged with North Cowichan.

On the other side of the debate are people like business owner Chad Gurski, who said he is voting "yes" to amalgamation Saturday.

"The City of Duncan is one square mile and a little under 5,000 people, and I don't think it's really important that we have one council representing that small an area and that small a population," he said.

With no clear financial benefit, many in the towns are questioning why there is a vote at all, but the citizen assembly behind the referendum push says it's all about the future of a growing region.

Policing and fire services would be unaffected under amalgamation and community names like Duncan and Crofton would remain. The biggest change is in how the regions are represented at the municipal level.

Polling stations open in the Cowichan Valley from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Places to vote in Duncan can be found on the city's website, while North Cowichan lists polling stations on its website