The chairperson for the Simonds local service district believes changes to the voting process could suppress turnout in the upcoming advisory committee elections.
John Cairns says LSD elections typically take place at a pre-determined meeting spot, like a fire hall. However, this year, changes due to COVID-19 concerns will bring nomination meetings to Zoom and teleconferences, while voters must register to vote by phone or email by April 14.
“There’s an older demographic, a lot of them wouldn’t know about Zoom, and some of them have probably never been on a teleconference in their life,” Cairns said.
He says with the deadline to register less than a week away, many residents have yet to receive the updated voting information in the mail.
“Some of them don’t even know how, they don’t have computers, the internet service is terrible,” Cairns said. “If you called me on my cell phone at my own home here I’d have to go up on the roof.”
Ballots will only be sent to those who have registered by next Tuesday’s deadline.
Cairns says he has voiced his displeasure to members of Minister Daniel Allain’s Local Government and Local Governance Reforms department, but so far his concerns have gone unheeded.
“Allain wants more democracy for LSDs… this will definitely suppress the vote,” said Cairns.
At the last LSD election in Simonds, Cairns said more than 100 people showed up to vote, and more than 10 people were nominated from the floor.
He says last fall’s provincial election provides a guideline for how they could hold safe in-person elections for the LSD.
“All I’m asking is, keep your Zoom, do all the things you’ve said you want to do,” Cairns said. “But when it comes to the day of the election, open up the fire hall, like you would for (a provincial election). Have the (electors) you normally would have… and people could go in, follow COVID rules, and vote, just like they do in the municipal election.”
