MOOSE JAW — With the fall elections for city council and school boards creeping closer, city hall is making changes to its election-related bylaw to ensure it aligns with recent changes in provincial legislation.
City council received the updated election bylaw during its recent regular meeting and gave three unanimous readings to the document, which means it is now in effect.
Council adopted an election bylaw in 2006 and has made numerous amendments to the document since then, a council report said.
With 18 years having passed and with many amendments having occurred, the city clerk’s office recommended updating the general election bylaw to include this year’s statute amendments and ensure it aligns with the language, authorities and procedures provided in the current legislation.
Meanwhile, another bylaw addresses campaign contributions and financing matters, so city hall is reviewing that separately to determine if amendments are required.
The updated bylaw carries forward “many of the practices and processes that have proven successful” in the City of Moose Jaw’s municipal elections, byelections, referendums and questions, the report said.
Some changes in the bylaw include:
- Additions to definitions and alphabetical re-ordering to match the provincial legislative format
- Referencing legislative authority for actions
- Updating language and providing for “inclusivity”
- Updating provincial statute references
- Providing clarity to the required ballot form
- Setting out the arrangement of candidate names on the ballot based on historical and current council practices
- Updating the voter registration form for mail-in ballots to comply with legislation
- Providing a cutoff time for mail-in ballot applicants to apply in person and electronically
, council appointed assistant city clerk Dawn Lugrin as the returning officer, with the authority to act as the associate returning officer for Prairie Â鶹´«Ã½AV and Holy Trinity Catholic school divisions.
Furthermore, remuneration per day for the poll supervisor, ballot receiving officer and ballot issuing officer — who face a 13-hour election day — will be $270, $255 and $250, respectively, with each also paid $50 to attend mandatory training.
Also, election officials will continue registering voters at advance polls or on election day instead of creating a list of electors’ names. Voters can use mail-in ballots if they can’t attend in person.
Moreover, city hall will list candidates’ names in alphabetical order but will not list their occupations and will not ask for criminal record checks. Meanwhile, mayoral and councillor candidates must pay a deposit of $100 each.
There will be free transit on election day; city hall expects this to cost $1,600.
The polling locations will include the Exhibition Association’s Golden Nugget Centre for voters north of Thatcher Drive and west of 11th Avenue Northwest; Cosmo Seniors’ Centre for voters in northeast Moose Jaw; Minto United Church for northern residents not included in the first two locations; and Church of Our Lady for Â鶹´«Ã½AV Hill voters.
Election-day polls will run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., while advance polls will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 29 and Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 12 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Monday, Nov. 4, Tuesday, Nov. 5 and Thursday, Nov. 7 from 12 to 6 p.m.
A poll at Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital will run for 1.5 hours, while polls at care homes will be kept open for a minimum of one hour.
City hall expects the election to cost roughly $81,248. The city and school divisions usually split the costs, but if acclamations occur for school ballots, the city’s share increases accordingly.
City hall will call for nominations starting Tuesday, Sept. 24, with the nomination deadline on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, June 10.
