CALGARY -- Members of the Blood Tribe Appeal Board have denied an appeal of November's election results but are urging council to consider ways of improving the voting system.
The appeal application cited concerns regarding the fact people who were in line at the Lethbridge polling station when the polls closed — after an initial hour extension — were not permitted to vote, the Lethbridge polling station opened late on voting day and the venue of the Calgary polling station was changed.
Roy Fox received 628 votes and was elected as Chief. He tallied 77 more votes than the second-place finisher.
There were 80 candidates on the ballot vying for the 12 seats on council. The separation between the 12th place finisher who secured a spot on council and the 13th place finisher who was not elected, was a mere three votes.
According to the board's decision, there are conflicting reports regarding how many people were turned away when the Lethbridge polling station closed, with estimates varying between 40 and 600 people, but some people had been waiting for close to two hours.
While the four-member board dismissed the appeal, it considered the appeal process to be "an important teaching moment for our tribe" and indicated the ideas the appellant offered for improving the system — including the adoption of mail-in or electronic ballots, additional poll stations off-reserve and mail election notices — should be discussed.
"The Board does not have the power to legally compel Chief and Council to adopt these ideas for the next Tribe election. Nevertheless, we encourage Council to consider these ideas in good-faith, or other measures that will strengthen the sense of belonging of all our members when it plans the next election."
