Lethbridge city council won't be creating ward commission, will examine precinct model

A sign outside the City of Lethbridge in the winter.

Lethbridge may not be moving to a ward system for elections after all, but could still see the creation of precincts.

Members of Lethbridge city council voted on Tuesday to rescind a previous decision to move forward with a study looking at the potential of implementing wards in time for the 2025 election.

Whether or not to move to wards was a plebiscite on last year's municipal ballot, when it was asked, "Do you support using a ward system to elect city councillors starting with the 2025 municipal election?"

In total, 55 per cent voted yes.

In June, council approved implementation of the ward system for the next municipal election, allocating $297,000 in funding.

However, during Tuesday's council meeting, that funding was rescinded.

"The purpose of this rescindment is to allow this motion to be revisited with a new model proposal that will meet the expectations of majority of council, will provide an enhanced accountability, retain some of the features of the current model and reducing the costs associated and previous approved for this process," Coun. John Middleton-Hope said.

Middleton-Hope brought forward the motion to rescind council's previous decision to proceed with the ward system.

Under that system, the city would be divided into wards and voters would elect who they feel best represents their area.

Currently, Lethbridge residents vote in 'at-large' elections, where the eight candidates with the most votes are elected.

Middleton-Hope suggested the city consider a precinct model that would divide the city into four precincts, which he says would cost less money.

On Tuesday, council voted 7-2 to direct the Governance Standing Policy Committee to report back to council on an examination of a precinct model in 2023.

One precinct would encompass the west side of the city, one would include the north side, while the south side would be spilt into two.

Council voted 7-2 to withdraw from the ward system commission, with Coun. Jenn Schmidt-Rempel and Coun. Belinda Crowson voting to see the ward commission go ahead.

"This shouldn't be and isn't about what council wants, it's about what residents wanted," Crowson said.

"They asked us with 55 per cent of the votes to look into a ward system. We looked to our experts, which is the city's clerks department, and said 'create a model that we can look into' – and they created this beautiful made-in Lethbridge model, not a made-in council model, but a made-in Lethbridge model."

Council also voted unanimously to direct administration to return to council through the Governance Standing Policy Committee with potential amendments to increasing the deposit and signature requirements for municipal election candidates.

Those hoping to run for office as a councillor may be required to have 25 signatures – up from five –while the mayoral candidate will need 50.

City council will meet again on Jan. 24, 2023.