In an update to the tradition of driving people to the polling station on voting day, Mayor Brian Bigger says he has volunteers lined up to help anyone uncomfortable with electronic voting.
For the first time in Greater Sudbury, the Oct. 22 municipal vote will be done entirely online. Voters can cast ballots any time (www.greatersudbury.ca/wheretovote) between now and next Monday from home, at any citizen service centre, library or on the city's mobile transit voting bus.
“The new voting format has really changed the way that we vote here in Sudbury and the dynamics of the campaign,” Bigger said Monday at a news conference at the Ambassador Hotel.
“We've gone digital. The days of making your mark in pencil beside the name on a ballot is no longer and the new way of voting will be quicker, cleaner and more efficient.
“I know the new online voting is a step towards modernizing the voting process in Sudbury, but I'm concerned that some of our older adults may be feel left out of the process, or those without access to the Internet or wireless technologies might miss out on their chance to be heard.”
To address the issue, Bigger was joined by some of the 10 volunteers he's lined up, people who will drive to your house and help you vote, or will drive you to one of the voting stations where you can cast your ballot.
“Residents can use our technology to vote in the privacy of their own home,” he said.
Hugh Kruzel, chair of CARP Sudbury, said he encouraged older voters concerned about voting electronically to reach out at get the help they need to cast their ballot.
“I want to encourage every older adult to vote,” Kruzel said. “There's so many different ways right now to exercise this opportunity.”
Bigger said the volunteers want to help people to vote – not necessarily for him, but to take part in the democratic process.
“None of the volunteers is to influence any decision whatsoever,” he said. “I'm confident in our campaign. I'm also confident in the integrity of each volunteer who wants to help Sudbury adjust to this new method of voting.”
Volunteers will have iPads and other devices where residents can cast a ballot at home if they would rather not head out to a voting station.
“If people call and invite us to come to their home, we can either pick them up and drive them to a polling station if that's what they feel most comfortable.”
In 2014, voters had the option to vote electronically or use a paper ballot. However, online voting was only allowed until just before election day, when the traditional voting process was used.
This time around, everyone can vote anytime from now until the polls close at 8 p.m. Oct. 22, Bigger said.
“We want make sure everybody has the opportunity to vote and so it's a service that we're happy to provide,” he said. “We have so many more opportunities to vote in this election – you can vote from anywhere.”
To get help from Bigger's campaign to vote, call 705-688-7179, visit biggersudbury.ca, or email [email protected].
