Mail-in voting will only be available for Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District directors and School District 70 trustees for the Nov. 15 municipal elections.
“We offer mail ballot voting because we have a lot of rural and remote voters,” said chief election officer Wendy Thompson, as well as residents who live in and own property in the regional district but are employed elsewhere.
Mail-in ballots can be requested from the ACRD office until noon on Friday, Nov. 7. After that, voters may pickup their own mail-in ballots. Either way, the deadline for submitted the ballots is noon on Friday, Nov. 14.
Advanced voting for regional district directors and school board trustees will
According to Port Alberni’s Chief Election Officer Davina Hartwell, Port Alberni has not had mail-in voting prior to this election and it’s not something she would specifically reccommend, citing possible issues with the “security of ballots and the integrity of the election.”
Mail-in voting would also need to be done by bylaw which would need to be passed by city council.
However, the next municipal election will take place earlier in the year, hopefully allaying the concerns of residents who leave Port Alberni for the winter months.
Qualified electors will have two more opportunities to vote in the election:
• Wednesday, Nov. 12 at the Fir Room at Echo Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Alberni Athletic Hall from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Election information is available on the city’s website.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com