Citizens here will continue the town’s recent tradition of voting by mail in the 2018 municipal election.
Council approved a staff recommendation to continue the practice on March 21.
A report from deputy clerk Annilene McRobb points out Minto has used vote by mail in four elections since 2003.
“Vote by mail has proven to be convenient for the voters and allows for accessible voting for all residents,” the report states.
While provincial average voter turnout for municipal elections remains under 50%, the report notes Minto has averaged a 56.05% over the last four elections using the vote-by-mail system.
“I believe we were the highest in Wellington County as far as voter turnout,” said Mayor George Bridge.
Council also agreed with a recommendation to use people, instead of machines, to count the votes.
“Using hired personnel in lieu of tabulators allows for the count to be completed in a timely manner, and involves residents in this process,” the report states.
Leasing tabulators would have cost $16,550 for the 2014 election, compared to $7,600 including two deputy returning officers and personnel to work as ballot counters.
The 2018 election budget is expected to be about $30,000, with $18,000 coming from a dedicated reserve fund.
