Puslinch intends to keep its first-past-the-post system in place for the 2018 municipal election.
Council’s decision followed recommendations from deputy clerk Nina Lecic regarding Municipal Elections Act amendments intended to address issues that arose during 2014 municipal elections in Ontario.
Some changes include moving the opening of nominations from Jan. 1 to May 1, 2018 and the final date for nominations from the second Friday in September to the fourth Friday in July 2018.
In addition, the Bill 181 gives municipalities the option to move to ranked ballots, allowing residents to vote for their first, second and third choices.
Currently, municipalities use a first-past-the-post option, where voters pick one candidate and the winner has the highest number of votes.
School boards will continue with the first-past-the-post system, meaning any municipalities switching to ranked ballots would have to offer both election styles.
Township staff recommended continuing with the first-past-the-post method because of the complexities and potential costs associated with running two separate voting methods in one election.
Staff also voiced concerns about whether the current technology would be able to facilitate a ranked election in 2018.
Councillor Matthew Bulmer noted that as a municipality with councillors elected at-large (no wards), the township essentially has a ranked system already.
“I never thought of it … going in to vote for the four councillors I wanted. But some people only chose two or three … so it creates a ranking already.”
He added, “The only position (that is) really first-past-the-post is the big chair.” Even then, Bulmer said, on average there are only two candidates for mayor.
Council also approved the use of vote tabulators for the 2018 municipal election.
