Centre Wellington council approved a bylaw on Monday that will see the township voting by mail again in the municipal elections on Oct. 25
When council discussed the issue at its committee of the whole the week before, councillor Bob Foster sought assurance there will be no problems for people who want to vote.
He said in the previous election, people had been turned away for lack of a voting envelope.
“Can we make it clear what they can do?” he asked Clerk Marion Morris.
She said that issue was corrected within weeks of the election in 2006, and the system is now set up so “people will not be able to return the ballot the wrong way.”
Foster asked if people will be turned away.
Morris replied that would happen only if people are not on the voting list, and she said her department has received a legal opinion on that issue.
“Any ballots returned with a declaration … were counted,” Morris said.
Councillor Fred Morris asked when the votes will be mailed.
Morris said the mailouts will be “set in motion within three weeks of the election.
She said that leaves people “a two week window for returning” their votes. There will be talks with special groups and assistance for those who need help with their votes.
Councillor Fred Morris said a court case has identified this voting method as one of the best, particularly for people with accessibility issues.
Clerk Morris said people will be encouraged to drop off their ballots at the township.
