TISDALE — The Town of Tisdale will be running curbside voting on municipal election day for people who cannot make it out to the polling station due to COVID-19.
This new service is aimed at residents who have any symptoms of COVID-19, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, aren’t feeling well, are immune compromised, or don’t feel comfortable attending the polling station during the pandemic.
“This will be an alternative for those that do not feel safe, or for those that should be isolating to still cast their vote and have their say in the upcoming municipal elections,” said Brad Hvidston, Tisdale’s administrator.
“We’ll have a phone number they can phone, and we’ll have election officials come out and take your vote curbside.”
Hvidston the officials will be wearing masks, gloves, and sanitizing between each voter.
“I don’t see anywhere in the legislation we can prevent those people from voting, so what we are doing is providing a safe alternative – or as safe as they can be,” he said.
“Obviously, when you’re handing something back and forth there will be some contact there, but again, we’ll be sanitizing everything that gets passed back and forth.”
The officials will be traveling to the voter, ask to see the voter’s ID, and then give them a voter declaration form. Once the form is filled out, the official will give the voter a ballot.
The resident will cast their vote, and hand it back to the election official to put in the ballot box that they will be bringing with them.
Hvidston said the idea was taken from Regina.
“I just thought, if other communities are getting it out there for people to consider, I just thought we would let them know we’re doing it here too,” he said.
“We feel it is important that people be allowed to cast their vote, but we also feel that we must ensure the safety of those people voting so this will be an important step to ensuring this safety.”
For more details, residents can phone the town office at 306-873-2681.
On election day, a specific number for the service will be posted on the door of the voting station.
The municipal election takes place on Nov. 9.
