WESTLOCK – Town residents looking to cast an early ballot in this fall’s municipal election will have three opportunities before election day, Oct. 18.
At their May 25 meeting Town of Westlock councillors voted 7-0 to set a trio of advance voting dates, in addition to four institutional voting stations at the lodges, hospital and long-term care.
For advance voting, residents will be able to cast a ballot at the Heritage Building Oct. 7 from 2 to 8 p.m., the Westlock Aquatic Centre Oct. 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Rotary Spirit Centre Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — the time for the Oct. 7 advance vote was extended by two hours as well as one hour at the lodges following a recommendation from Coun. Clem Fagnan.
Municipal clerk Annette Boissonnault, who’s handling the election for the town, said they decided to add two additional advance dates after having only one in 2017 due to a variety of factors including the possibility of COVID-19 protocols still being in place as well as talk of additional questions on the ballot from the province.
“We learned from experience from the public that one day wasn’t enough. It was one long day, but some people said they weren’t available that day,” said Boissonnault.
“One is a Thursday afternoon, one is a Tuesday morning and one is Saturday. This way we should be able to reach as many residents as possible. So by proposing these three dates in essence I’m hoping we may get less people on election day itself, so maybe not quite the lineups and which will be a more COVID-friendly atmosphere.”
Added mayor Ralph Leriger: “I think your strategy is certainly sound with the possibility of a plebiscite or referendum so there could be a bigger turnout. I like what you’ve done, there are some weekdays, some weekends, some mornings, some afternoons and evenings so you’ve mixed it up … if people can’t vote this time it won’t be for a lack of us trying to accommodate them.
“With the current restrictions we’re under we could still pull off an election with Annette’s strategy. And good Lord we sure hope things are different by October and if they are not I think this is a good sound strategy.”
For institutional voting, polling stations will run from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Smithfield and Pembina lodges Oct. 5. The following day, Oct. 6, voting stations will be open from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Westlock Continuing Care Centre, and from 10 a.m. to noon at the Westlock Healthcare Centre.
“I have worked with the institutions already on coming up with the dates and a couple of the institutions will run the elections themselves as opposed to having municipal staff going into the facilities — I will train them. And for the Pembina and Smithfield they prefer the municipality to come in,” Boissonnault continued, noting the same two people from the town won’t work both the Smithfield and Pembina stations. “So as the date gets closer and if they are in lockdown then we will work through it at that point.”
