LAC LA BICHE - In May, upon passing Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendments Act ,at the end of the spring sitting of the provincial legislature, the Alberta government prohibited the use of electronic tabulators in municipal elections.
It could be a costly change to the process – and all Alberta municipalities – says a local municipal councillor.
John Mondal, Ward 7 councillor and deputy mayor of Lac La Biche County says the devices were economical, and also saved significantly on the labour required to manually count ballots.
“The option to use these tabulators was cost-effective,” Mondal told Lakeland This Week, adding that they are also very accurate. “We hope that the Government of Alberta will reconsider the ban before next year’s municipal election.”
These machines have been used by municipalities in Alberta for several decades for the purposes of counting votes in local elections as a cost-saving, time-efficient measure.
This ban on tabulators has been a contentious issue for municipal governments, many of whom are now pushing the province to re-examine its decision before the next municipal elections in October of 2025.
More Bill 20 concerns
In addition to banning the use of electronic tabulators in elections, Bill 20, which is slated to be made into law by the end of October, brings with it many other sweeping changes targeted at municipal governments.
These include allowing the names of political party affiliatios to be included on the voting ballot, a recall process for councillors and mayors, as well as the ability for the Alberta government to overrule local bylaws. Furthermore, Bill 20 also allows contributions to be made by corporations and unions at the municipal level up to $5,000 annually per municipality.
While it has yet to be determined how these changes will impact Lac La Biche County specifically, Mondal said broadly speaking, and like many other elected municipal leaders there are concerns with Bill 20, especially as it relates to the addition of political parties and corporate or union donations.
County officials are working with municipal organizations and other municipalities across Alberta to address their concerns regarding Bill 20.
“We’ve shared our concerns with general municipal organizations like Rural Municipalities of Alberta and the Alberta Municipalities, and we continue to work with representatives at the provincial level to make our voices heard.
