A bylaw to allow for mail-in ballots in this fall’s municipal election passed all three readings at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday.
“In accordance with Section 29(1) (b) and 92 of The Local Government Election Act, 2015, the council may, by bylaw, establish a Mail-In Ballot voting system for the purpose of receiving ballots in an election,” explained Kathy Ritchie Director of Legislation & Procedures (City Clerk).
“The City had, in the last municipal election (2012), provided for a Mail-In Ballot voting system and with this system being expanded to permit voting by this means at the Hospital, personal care facilities and similar institutions, there is a desire to continue to offer this system of voting. This and other recent changes made to The Local Government Election Act, 2015, and The Local Government Election Regulations, 2015, respecting Mail-In Ballots has required that this City of Yorkton Bylaw be rewritten to ensure incorporation of those changes.
“As required by the Act, the proposed Bylaw defines that there shall not be an extension to the period for the receipt of Mail-In Ballots beyond the closing of the polls on election day; and further that Mail-In Ballots received after the closing of the polls on election day are deemed to be spoiled ballots; and are to be dealt with in the manner set out in subsection 118(2) of The Local Government Election Act, 2015.”
The bylaw regulations include;
• that before being issued a Mail-In Ballot a person shall complete a Voter’s Registration form and a Declaration of Person Requesting Mail-In Ballot Form;
• a provision for maintaining the secrecy of Mail-In Ballots;
• the inspection of the Voter’s Registration Forms and the Declarations of Persons Requesting a Mail-In Ballot by candidates or candidate’s agents on election day until the close of polls on election day;
• the rights of candidates or their agents to object to a person’s eligibility to vote and to request to verify that certain procedures of the Act have been followed;
• the counting of the Mail-In Ballots after the close of polls on Election Day.
