Lunenburg is considering alternative voting methods for the fall election in the event that social distancing restrictions are still in place.
Returning Officer Patrick Burke said elections are usually done by paper ballot in Lunenburg, although it has been allowed by electronic forms since 2008.
“Because of the pandemic and the risk that you might have difficulty getting enough election workers at the polls for the 12-hour election day and advance polls we felt it was important to look at some other methods. We are looking at an alternative voting by-law which allows council, if they wish, to go all electronic,” he said.
Many municipalities already use a combination of paper and electronic balloting and if voting is done over the Internet there must be a secondary method in place, traditionally by telephone says Burke.
“Electronic voting has it challenges but you have to look at both the positives and negatives. If there is a second wave of the pandemic how likely is it that a lot of people will be coming to the polling stations? This will make it easier for people to vote and allow us to maintain our good voting attendance,” he said.
The election is on October 17.
