Lethbridge officials confident elections can take place safely during pandemic
Federal and municipal returning officers are confident they can provide safe elections for voters and workers in the coming months.
Southern Albertans will be voting twice, casting a ballot in the federal election Sept. 20 and returning to the polls for the municipal election Oct. 18.
For local returning officers, they will be the first elections since the beginning of the pandemic.
"It’ll definitely be a safe environment," said David Walters, returning officer for the federal Lethbridge riding.
"We’ve received pandemic protocol manuals and we’ll follow all the protocols necessary to make sure there’s a safe environment to vote, and also for poll workers."
Summer election preparations in Lethbridge, Aug. 26, 2021
REDUCED RISK
Voters can expect a number of changes to reduce the risk from COVID-19. For example, in the Lethbridge riding Elections Canada will not be using schools for poling locations. Instead, they have increased the number of facilities and will be moving the polling stations farther apart to allow for safe distancing. Elections Canada says the use of schools as election facilities will vary from riding to riding, depending on discussions with local school divisions.
Walters said there would also be two "mega-polls" in Lethbridge, including one at Exhibition Park where there will be 34 ballot boxes.
"They have a large facility there, we know that we can make it safe," added Walters.
The other mega-poll will be located at the YMCA building in west Lethbridge where there will be 14 voting stations.
With only 36 days to prepare for the snap election, Elections Canada has put out a call for people to work at the polling stations on Sept. 20.
"I want to really encourage people come down and apply to be a poll worker," said Walters.
"Some people may be a little hesitant but we need to hire in a very short time over 700 people."
Applications are being accepted at the Elections Canada office in Lethbridge at 640 13 Street North.
Walters said it is difficult to know what to expect because of the pandemic and disruptions to the economic environment due to the pandemic.
He said they have hired enough workers for the advance polls Sept. 10-13, but still need to hire over 500 workers to work at the polls on Election Day.
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
The city of Lethbridge is also hiring for the Municipal Election that will be held a month later. Deputy City Clerk David Sarsfield said the city needed to hire about 300 people. However, he does not see it as a competition for election workers.
"Most of the people who work the federal and municipal elections just work for the one day, the election itself," said Sarsfield.
"So it (federal election) gets them excited about the process, and they can have two chances to work."
According to Sarsfield the city will make a final decision on pandemic protocols later, based on COVID-19 cases in October.
However, a number of changes are planned to help keep the election safe, including a drive-through polling location at Exhibition Park for voters who are concerned about COVID-19.
"People stay in the car, and cast their ballot in the car," added Sarsfield.
There will be 14 polling locations for the municipal election on Oct. 18 and residents will be able to cast their ballot wherever it is most convenient.
The city will also be launching a web tool for monitoring lineups and wait times at each voting location.
"We’ve tried to deal with whatever the COVID-19 situation may be," added Sarsfield.
He said some decisions around protocols might not be made until election day, adding the city wants to make the election safe for both voters and election workers.
Correction
The original version indicated Elections Canada would not hold polling stations in schools. While polling stations in the Lethbridge riding will not be located in schools, schools may be utilized in other ridings.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada outlines national action plan to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump's company as defence presses key hush money trial witness
Former Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted Monday to jurors in the Republican's hush money trial that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from Trump's company as defence lawyers seized on the star witness' misdeeds to attack his credibility.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
Investors watching posts from 'Crypto King' in the wake of fraud, money laundering charges
Former investors of the self-styled “Crypto King” say they are watching his social media accounts and worried his displays of wealth are signs he’s spending their money, even now, as another large expense tied to Aiden Pleterski has triggered a previously unreported lawsuit.
Almost 2 months after it destroyed Baltimore's Key Bridge, the Dali cargo ship has been moved
The cargo ship Dali is being moved from the site of its catastrophic collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in a crucial step toward fully reopening the busy Port of Baltimore.