PORT HAWKESBURY: In the upcoming municipal election in October, the Town of Port Hawkesbury will be implementing electronic voting.
During the regular monthly council meeting June 2, councillors approved the first reading of their electronic and telephone voting by-law.
The new by-law sets aside eight advance polling days for o-nline and phone voting, along with one paper advanced poll, and allows for electronic voting and paper ballots to be cast on Election Day.
Following the meeting, Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton told reporters it’s an important option to provide for their residents, given the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re in the midst of a pandemic, and I think it’s so important figuring out a way we can realize a democratic process while keeping safety in the foremost of our minds,” Chisholm-Beaton said. “Electronic and telephone voting is a great way to give our voters an alternative to paper voting, so citizens can have that piece of mind they can still participate in the democratic process and vote from home.”
Port Hawkesbury’s decision to add electronic voting is for their residents so they’re not potentially putting them in contact with other voters or with election workers in order to cast a paper vote.
“Should there be citizens who wish or prefer paper, at least for this year, we will have that as an option. Our council feels it’s important to have both voting modes available,” Chisholm–Beaton said. “And it could be possible that as we progress into the next election cycle we may want to phase out the paper altogether.”
Typically, elections cost the Town of Port Hawkesbury $18,000 but with the option for electronic voting there will be an additional cost of $6,000 for the town.