Jeff Heuchert
Staff Reporter

City residents will cast their votes in the next municipal and school board elections either by phone or the Internet.

City council passed a bylaw at its regular meeting last week approving the alternative voting method, which will replace the traditional paper ballot process.

The decision was not made without discussion. Coun. Dave Gaffney suggested having the use of internet/telephone voting as a question on the ballot in this year’s municipal election, while

Coun. Paul Nickel said he would prefer more of a transition into the new system, and suggested offering both systems this year, before deciding one way or another for the future.

He said the city could run fewer polling stations, two or three as opposed to the usual five, as well as those in nursing homes, which would cut down on costs.  

“Could we have a little of both and move slowly through this process?” he asked.

Coun. Keith Culliton, who commended the city for being modern in its approach, also supported having a few polling stations, suggesting using those in locations that tend to draw larger numbers.

City clerk Joan Thomson said the savings from not renting two or three buildings to use for polling stations would be minimal, and noted if the city were to have even one polling station, it must have  ballots for every eligible voter.

The phone/Internet voting  costs about $90,000, while Thomson noted a paper ballot would cost an additional $50-$60,000.

“If you want to do a combination, there are significant additional costs that will be incurred this year,” she added.

In response to a question from Coun. Karen Smythe, Thomson explained every resident will be sent a letter in the mail explaining the new voting system, as well as an individual PIN number they will have to use.

A call centre will also be set up at City Hall for people to contact if they’re having difficulties, she added.