The 2022 city council election is well in the books. Some people were happy, some not so happy, but the city itself is quite pleased with how things turned out overall.
Yellowknifer spoke with city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett recently to get her perspective.
She said there was an internal debrief shortly after the results were confirmed to see what worked and what didnSA国际影视传媒檛, but the overall feeling is one of success.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was pleased to see so many eligible voters turn out and take part in the democratic process,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 returned from holiday (after the election) and you really get a sense of just how privileged we are to be able to vote. A lot of people donSA国际影视传媒檛 get to choose who they want to represent them, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what makes living here so great.SA国际影视传媒�
The municipal election turnout was 48 per cent SA国际影视传媒� 3,939 ballots were counted out of more than 8,000 that were sent by mail or cast at the voter assistance locations at the Tree of Peace and the Multiplex. The final number was down from the 56 per cent four years earlier, but Bassi-Kellett said itSA国际影视传媒檚 still much better than whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happened in some other areas of the country.
SA国际影视传媒淏.C.SA国际影视传媒檚 municipal election numbers were down in the low-30s range, so for us to have as good a response as we had showed people care,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淰oters seemed to adjust well to the mail-in balloting SA国际影视传媒� we wanted to provide voters with the flexibility and convenience of being able to vote that way SA国际影视传媒� and the process turned out well.SA国际影视传媒�
Ballots not received
The convenience of the mail-in ballot was something Bassi-Kellett stressed; she said it provided the city with cost savings and less struggle to find people to work on election day.
SA国际影视传媒淐onvenience and ease was our number one priority,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚f you were working during the day, all you had to do was visit one of the locations and drop off your ballot. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also getting harder to find workers, so the stress of finding election day staff was lessened.SA国际影视传媒�
There were stories, however, of people not receiving a ballot in the mail, or some residences receiving more than one ballot. Yellowknifer was told about both sorts of instances happening and more than one employee with SA国际影视传媒 had one or the other happen to them.
Bassi-Kellett said itSA国际影视传媒檚 up to residents to inform the city about their current living arrangements in order for enumeration to be up to date.
SA国际影视传媒淧eople may think that their property tax bill can be used as a way to do that, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e not allowed to use that for information,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚f you leave the city, or if youSA国际影视传媒檙e new to the city and have lived here for at least one year, you need to contact the city in order to be enumerated. Always give us your current information so youSA国际影视传媒檙e on the votersSA国际影视传媒� roll.SA国际影视传媒�
There are clear legal parameters that must be followed when a mail-in voting campaign is conducted and the city did everything it could to keep the process as smooth as possible, according to Bassi-Kellett.
SA国际影视传媒淔or example, if you filled out your ballot on Oct. 13 and put in the mail, there was a very good chance it wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 arrive at city hall by the time ballots would have been counted,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭here was the convenience of dropping off your ballots at city hall or either of the voter assistance locations. We were also doing twice-daily pick-ups at Canada Post SA国际影视传媒� we even did one right at the end of the day before the counting of ballots began on the 17th. We donSA国际影视传媒檛 mess around with the integrity of voting SA国际影视传媒� we take it very seriously.SA国际影视传媒�
As to how many ballots arrived after Oct. 17? A rather minuscule number, said Bassi-Kellett.
SA国际影视传媒淭wo,SA国际影视传媒� she said, as of Oct. 20.
The voter assistance locations were there for the purpose of giving people who may not have been on the voters list a chance to vote, she added.
SA国际影视传媒淚f we had new residents, or even new Canadian citizens who may have not been on the list, we wanted to keep the mechanism of the in-person balloting for them,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
