The two ballots for Lethbridge's municipal election. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

City shows off jam-packed election ballots, new ways to vote

Sep 21, 2021 | 2:19 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – If you are a resident of Lethbridge, you might want to do your homework before voting this October.

The City of Lethbridge has released more details about how it is preparing for the 2021 municipal elections and what you as a voter will need to know.

This year, there will actually be two ballots for you to fill out.

One is for the city’s election and will include:

• Candidates for mayor
• Candidates for city council
• Candidates for the Lethbridge School Division or Holy Spirit Catholic School Division Boards
• A non-binding ballot question: “Do you support using a ward system to elect City Councillors (other than the Mayor) starting with the 2025 municipal election?”
• A non-binding ballot question: “Do you agree that city council should approve plans to construct a 3rd bridge prior to 2030 as a municipal capital project priority?”
  The city ballot form. (Lethbridge News Now)

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The other ballot is for the province and will include:

• Candidates for Provincial Senate Nominees
• Provincial referendum question: “Should section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 – Parliament and the government of Canada’s commitment to the principle of making equalization payments – be removed from the constitution?”
• Provincial referendum question: “Do you want Alberta to adopt year-round Daylight Saving Time, which is summer hours, eliminating the need to change our clocks twice a year?”
  The provincial ballot form. (Lethbridge News Now)

Returning Officer Bonnie Hilford says she knows that this is a lot of information to process, but assures the city is doing what they can to make it as understandable as possible.

“We are finalizing a comprehensive 16-page mail-out brochure for each home in the city that will be mailed early next week, to be received in time for the start of advanced voting here at City Hall. Each Mayor, Councillor and School Board Trustee candidate was provided with the opportunity – through a local third-party agency – to record a two-minute information video. They will be posted to City’s election website soon,” says Hilford.

“You will also see a Lethbridge Transit bus around the city advertising the 2021 Election, reminding people about the election and to vote.”

The City of Lethbridge is also undertaking numerous initiatives aimed at making voting easier, more convenient, and efficient.

Prior to general election day on October 18, there will be three weekends of advance voting:

• October 1, 2 – City Hall (Downtown)
• October 8, 9, 10 – Exhibition Park drive-through (East)
• October 14, 15, 16 – ATB Centre (West)

A new addition this year, one that is new to nearly everywhere in the country, is the introduction of a drive-through voting station.

Hilford explains that it will take place on the October 8-10 weekend at Exhibition Park.

“You will drive into the first kiosk and receive your voter registration form. The next kiosk you’ll drive up to, we’ll take that registration form and check it. We’ll give you the ballots. In the third kiosk you drive up to, we’ll have you place the ballots in the tabulator or provide them to us to put in the tabulator.”

For more information on voting in the municipal election in Lethbridge, use the city’s website here.

For more coverage from Lethbridge News Now, visit our Municipal Election 2021 page here.