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Questions about the voters' lists
18 September 2010
I've had a few calls this week from, and had one on-street conversation with, people who worried they were not on the voters' list. I was also surprised that several people I spoke with this past week didn't understand that this was another mail-in ballot. Some of them didn't know anything about mail-in ballots at all.
One woman asked me what ward she was in and was surprised (after living here for four years) that we had an at-large electoral system.
Many of these people are renting houses or apartments, and have concerns that they are not on the municipal radar. One woman is living in her son's house and although she has been a resident for the past three years, her son pays the bills and gets all the mail sent to him outside Collingwood.
If you are unsure if you're on the voters' list, call the clerk's department at town hall, 445-1030, and ask about it. You can get your ballot by simply dropping by the town hall with appropriate identification.
My biggest concern is that that although we've had a mail-in ballot for three terms, we have apparently not educated newcomers to the process - and many of them will find it unusual or even incomprehensible.
One woman asked me what ward she was in and was surprised (after living here for four years) that we had an at-large electoral system.
Many of these people are renting houses or apartments, and have concerns that they are not on the municipal radar. One woman is living in her son's house and although she has been a resident for the past three years, her son pays the bills and gets all the mail sent to him outside Collingwood.
If you are unsure if you're on the voters' list, call the clerk's department at town hall, 445-1030, and ask about it. You can get your ballot by simply dropping by the town hall with appropriate identification.
My biggest concern is that that although we've had a mail-in ballot for three terms, we have apparently not educated newcomers to the process - and many of them will find it unusual or even incomprehensible.
I have been walking door to door with one of the people running for office and I have been surprised that many of the people we talk to do not know that this will be a mail-in ballot.
Some long term residents seem shocked when they are told.
Perhaps the two newspapers can be convinced to run an article about it.