Electors in next October’s municipal election will be able to vote first thing in the morning and, if they wish, use special ballots.
Council passed a series of motions Monday night that will start the election process, including appointing the chief legislative officer as returning officer, dividing St. Albert into subdivisions and bringing forward a bylaw amendment to require voter identification.
But a proposal by city administration to open the polls at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. was unanimously shot down by council. In a backgrounder, staff pointed out that only three per cent of residents typically vote between 8 and 9 a.m. The report also cited a host of logistical issues, such as finding workers willing to work so early and moving supplies, materials, ballots and vote tabulators.
Council, however, didn’t buy the argument.
“Three per cent, that’s still 500 people,” Coun. Cathy Heron remarked. “I know it might be harder to get staff organized but if we did it before, we can do it again.”
Council also rejected a proposal to not offer special ballots in 2013. Staff argued that in 2010 only 45 people used special ballots, which are ballots that can be mailed in from anywhere in the world. Staff said the cost of special ballots was prohibitive, working out to $15 each. The proposed Internet voting pilot, on which Edmonton and St. Albert are jointly working, could also help resolve the issue, staff suggested, but council voted to offer special ballots anyway.
“They serve a purpose, as small as that might be,” Coun. Wes Brodhead said. “Until online voting is in place and robust, I believe we need to offer an alternative to St. Albert residents who will not be in St. Albert on election day to offer their voice.”
In terms of what residents will be voting for in October, the city is still waiting for the provincial government to make public its amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act.
According to Mayor Nolan Crouse, Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffiths told attendees at last week’s conference of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties that mayors and councillors will serve four-year terms instead of three-year terms and that elections will still take place in the fall.
“We understand the amendments will become public information very soon and the province plans on having all those matters dealt with by the end of the fall session,” said city clerk Mary Nordvedt.
