Ralph Smith is a 92-year-old Royal Marine.
HeB次元官网网址檚 been on Arrow Road since 1975 and has paid close attention to SaanichB次元官网网址檚 municipal election scene. HeB次元官网网址檇 dearly like to vote in SaanichB次元官网网址檚 byelection for the vacant councillor seat on Sept. 23, but he hasnB次元官网网址檛 been to a voterB次元官网网址檚 booth since his mobility took a hit in 2005.
So he was hoping that, like the federal election he regularly votes in by mail, Saanich would include a mail-in ballot too.
B次元官网网址淚 can go about 20 or 30 feet with a walker but I canB次元官网网址檛 go long distances, getting to a polling station for me and my wife is more than a bit of an effort,B次元官网网址� said Smith, adding heB次元官网网址檚 left the house about 12 times since 2005.
Unfortunately for Smith, due to the costs of including mail-in ballots for a byelection, coupled with the time limits and historically low voter turnout for byelections (Saanich included), Chief Election Officer Angila Bains (who is also the new Manager of Legislative Services) has opted to exclude them.
B次元官网网址淚n 2014, our general local election drew 34. 7 per cent of eligible voters,B次元官网网址� Bains said. B次元官网网址淎nd [SaanichB次元官网网址檚] last general local election drew 137 mail-in ballots [in 2014], thatB次元官网网址檚 .16 per cent.B次元官网网址�
The challenge in a byelection is the short turnaround. Staff donB次元官网网址檛 know who is on the ballot until Aug. 18, then have to wait two to three weeks to get the physical ballots in house. To then mail them out to those whoB次元官网网址檝e requested them and then process them once they return is a costly amount of resources, Bains said.
However, mail-in ballots will be available for the general 2018 municipal election, said Bains, whoB次元官网网址檚 new to Saanich but has worked as a chief and deputy chief election officer multiple times since 2004 with the District of North Vancouver and Corporation of Delta.
For Smith, the worry is that in SaanichB次元官网网址檚 historically close elections (the eighth council seat was won by 30 votes in 2014), cutting out the mail-in only ballots is cutting out a specific niche of voters.
B次元官网网址淚f you rub out all the voters with a mobility issue, you rub out a like-minded group of individuals,B次元官网网址� he said.
Advanced voting continues Monday, Sept. 18, at Saanich Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Ave., from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Curb-side voting is offered to those who arrive but have limited mobility.
Voting day is Saturday, Sept. 23, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Cedar Hill Rec., Gordon Head Rec. Pearkes Rec. and Saanich Common wealth Place.
