HALIFAX -- The Municipality of the County of Annapolis has opted for electronic voting in municipal elections in October – doing away with paper ballots in favour of pandemic-safe home phones, smartphones, and computers.

At a meeting on Thursday, council selected Intelivote Systems Inc. to provide an electronic voting service that Returning Officer, Doug Patterson, believes will be convenient and easy to use for Annapolis County voters.

For residents wanting to head to a polling station, there will be stations in place in each of the 11 districts on election day. However, voters will vote by clicking a button using a computer mouse – not using paper ballots.

Patterson has been preparing for the vote – scheduled for October 17 – for several months. However, on July 21, Patterson was mandated by council to ramp up for electronic voting only.

Despite the change, Patterson says he welcomes the new procedure, citing several beneficial reasons – including the safety of voters and poll workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m extremely excited and happy to be here to help,” said Patterson, in a press release on Wednesday. “Electronic voting services were a big win to start with just because of the ease and convenience we could offer. Then in 2020, we had the immense and truly frightening challenge of COVID-19.”

Patterson and staff say they brainstormed on providing a voting service, with the knowledge that many residents might not be comfortable going to an in-person poll.

“Now that we can offer a stay-at-home tool via electronic voting, it just felt incredible to have a solution that we knew would matter so much to a great number of people,” said Patterson.

While it may be new for local residents, Patterson sees electronic voting, not as the wave of the future but the reality of today.

“Electronic voting is already ‘the norm’ and well trusted in Nova Scotia,” said Patterson. “In 2016, a total of 23 municipalities offered electronic voting. By population, this means that 65 per cent of eligible voters in Nova Scotia were offered electronic voting. This is definitely already tested, tried, and true.”

While Patterson notes he understands the anxiety some people may feel about changing the way they cast their ballots – adding voters will be able to use many support resources of help as the process unfolds.

“We’ll be providing all the answers people need, including giving each voter their own mailed voter letter with all the instructions,” said Patterson. “Voters will also be able to call staff if they need assistance during business hours while the electronic voting tool is operating.”

Meanwhile, the public will have a huge window of time to access the Intelivote system, which will be open from the morning of October 5 until the close of the election at 7 p.m. on October 17.

PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY

The public will have a significant window of time to access the Intelivote system – which opens on the morning of October 5 and closes at the end of the election at 7 p.m. on October 17.

“In sum, we’ll make sure voters have all the facts and opportunity to access voting,” said Patterson. “We want to be sure everyone is confident that this will be fast and easy for them.”

Patterson says there are misconceptions surrounding electronic voting – such as the belief that voters must be online to vote – which isn’t the case.

“This service will work just as well for a person using a touch-tone phone as it will for a person who uses an internet-enabled smartphone or computer,” said Patterson. “There is also a misconception that people who have regularly voted in person in the past (including segments of the population such as seniors) won’t like the change. The reverse is actually true.”

Patterson said data on voting provided by statistics Canada after the 2019 federal election showed that the key reasons why motivated voters end up not voting is due to a lack of ease when personal time and travel are required. “This is made even harder by the relatively small window of time that in-person voting can be offered for,” said Patterson.

GREAT POTENTIAL

Municipal Clerk, Carolyn Young, says she believes in the potential of electronic balloting.

“We were approached in 2004 to run a hybrid ballot – paper and internet. The council of the day declined – and they were right,” she said. “Today we are involved in so many converging circumstances, that when faced with the decision to go to an electronic ballot, this forward-thinking council chose that route, considering the safety, ease, and simplicity of this new process, with a company that now has a proven track record in delivering this form of ballot, not just in Nova Scotia but throughout Canada.”

Young has worked as Municipal clerk and Returning Officer in the past and is assisting in 2020 as county staff perfect their approach via video conferences, research, and attention to the smallest details.

“These are exciting times, and there is such potential for both the voter experience and the candidate experience,” said Young. “Since 1996, the highest voter turnout I have seen is 38 per cent. There is such potential to double that.”

And Patterson agrees.

“An increase in voter turnout is the common and expected result seen in municipal elections across Canada once electronic voting is offered,” said Patterson. “And it’s a logical result. When you can offer a period of two weeks of opportunity to vote from home, or anywhere, in just a few minutes vs the challenges of having to make a special trip during smaller time periods of advance polls or on one main polling day for in-person voting more people can find the time to exercise their right to vote.”

POLLING STATIONS

Patterson and municipal staff have also been working on identifying locations for polling stations in each district.

“Since we know that some people will want an in-person option, we are working to plan and provide in-person voting at a number of locations,” said Patterson. “We will offer in-person voting at advance polls at our Annapolis Royal and Lawrencetown offices on October 10 and 13. We’re working now on planning the sites for in-person voting for October 17. We’re looking at factors like location for easy travel. We need to have sites well distributed and ensure coverage of each of our 11 districts. All in-person, on-site voting will be via electronic kiosks with computers for voters to use. Poll staff will be on hand to assist all voters.”

Meanwhile, if voters can’t make it to polling stations in their respective districts on October 17, Patterson says they can cast their electronic ballot at any polling station in any district.

COVID-19 CONCERNS

All municipalities in Nova Scotia will receive provincial health guidance on operating in-person voting locations, Patterson said.

“We expect to be managing for social distancing at all in-person voting locations,” said Patterson. “Surfaces touched and tools used by voters will receive frequent disinfecting. [The] number of people in any location at any time will be kept within the guidelines at that time.”

If county residents want to stay informed or are seeking answers, there are plenty of resources available.

“Voters who need help can call an election help number that will be set up by the municipality,” said Patterson. “The number will be answered during business hours while voting is available.”

The help number will be available on the municipality’s website and included with personal letters each voter will receive.

“Our purpose in providing phone support is to answer questions and provide any help an electronic voter needs,” said Patterson. “Then, the voter can complete their vote using the electronic system without any need for travel or public interaction.”

“Voters can expect to see ongoing news and updates to our municipal web page as well,” added Patterson. “Voters will receive their voter letter with all instructions in the mail just ahead of the voting period.”

Meanwhile, all information supporting the election will be posted to the municipality’s website –including rules for voter eligibility, instructions for using and accessing the electronic voting tool by computer or phone, how to contact staff for help, voting locations, as well as times for in-person voting services.

EASY TO DO

When it comes to electronic voting, Patterson notes each person on the final voter list will be mailed a voter letter, which includes a pin code.

“The pin code must be keyed in order to vote. The voter also enters their date of birth, which does not appear on the voter letter,” said Patterson. “Regardless of the system -- paper or electronic -- any attempt by one person to usurp materials or attempt to take another person’s vote are criminal actions.”

Meanwhile, Young said the role of the returning officer is to deliver a safe process for all to exercise their democratic right. “In this time, this year, this method offers that,” she said.