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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCLD-020-17Clerk's Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: November 6, 2017 Report Number: CLD-020-17 Resolution: File Number: By-law Number: Report Subject: Clarington’s 2018 Municipal Elections - Accessibility Plan Recommendation: 1.That Report CLD-020-17 be received for information. Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 Page 2 Report Overview This Report is intended to provide information for Council regarding Clarington’s 2018 Municipal Elections, specifically as it pertains to initiatives to be incorporated into the electoral process to provide for greater accessibility and inclusiveness for Clarington electors. 1. Background In the fall of 2016, Council received Report CLD-032-16, which outlined the changes to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (MEA). One of the changes was that, in addition to mandatory reporting after the election regarding the accessibility features of the election, staff are required to create an accessibility plan prior to the election. The following is an excerpt from the MEA: 12.1 (1) A clerk who is responsible for conducting an election shall have regard to the needs of electors and candidates with disabilities. 12.1 (2) The clerk shall prepare a plan regarding the identification, removal and prevention of barriers that affect electors and candidates with disabilities and shall make the plan available to the public before voting day in a regular election. There still remains a requirement that, within 90 days after voting day in a regular election, the clerk shall prepare a report about the identification, removal and prevention of barriers that affect electors and candidates with disabilities and shall make the report available to the public. The Act also empowers the clerk to make changes to some or all ballots, as she considers necessary or desirable, to allow electors with visual impairments to vote. Additionally, the Act states that the clerk shall ensure that each voting location is accessible to electors with disabilities. Staff provide the following report as information only as it will be incorporated within the Clerk’s Procedures which must be published prior to December 31, 2017, in accordance with the Act. Based on 2014 electoral data, we anticipate approximately 64,000 eligible electors in the Municipality of Clarington. According to Statistics Canada, there are approximately 16.6% of Canadians over the age of 15 who have some sort of disability. Therefore we can estimate that 10,624 eligible electors are limited in their abilities, whether it be vision, hearing, mobility, speech, mental health, or learning. Clarington’s 2018 Municipal Elections will be conducted in a similar manner to the 2014 Municipal Elections in that there will be voting locations and traditional paper ballots, which will be counted through the use of vote tabulators. Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 Page 3 2. Elections Accessibility Plan To ensure dignity, fairness, integration and equal opportunity for all of our Clarington electors, the Clerk’s Department plans to undertake several initiatives. Attachment 1 details these initiatives. You will note that they are very similar to the initiatives reported on following the 2014 Municipal Elections, with the addition of a few new initiatives. The 2018 main initiatives are highlighted below: As in 2014, all voting locations will be physically accessible. Electronic audio/tactile voting assistive devices will be provided during all five of our advance voting days. At Advanced Voting, braille/tactile templates (which will slip over the ballot) will be available for voters with a vision impairment to vote independently. Clarington’s election website www.clarington.net/election shall be fully accessible including a “Browse Aloud” feature. Election Official mandatory training will include Accessible Customer Service content. Electors, who are physically incapacitated, or on Voting Day are away from the area or who are working as an Election Official, shall have the opportunity to use the Special Mail-In Ballot method to vote. The Special Mail-in Ballot method will allow eligible voters to mark their ballot at home and mail, or deliver, the ballot to the Clerk’s Department. An approach to communications, website, etc. that make election information more accessible for all voters. This may include short videos for training election officials, as well as videos that show voters how to find election information. The Clerk’s Department will continue to learn, develop and adjust our approaches to meet the needs of electors with disabilities. 3. Feedback The Municipality of Clarington welcomes feedback to identify areas where changes need to be considered to improve the delivery of an accessible election. This plan is a living document and will continue to undergo changes. 4. Concurrence Not Applicable 5. Conclusion It is respectfully recommended that Report CLD-020-17, regarding the Clarington’s 2018 Municipal Elections – Accessibility Plan, be received for information. Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 Page 4 6. Strategic Plan Application The recommendations contained in this report conform to the Strategic Plan. Submitted by: Reviewed by: C. Anne Greentree, BA, CMO Andrew C. Allison, B. Comm, LL.B Municipal Clerk CAO Staff Contact: June Gallagher, Deputy Clerk, 905-623-3379 ext. 2103 or jgallagher@clarington.net Attachment: Attachment 1 – Clarington’s 2018 Elections - Accessibility Plan Attachment 1 to Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 2018 Election - Accessibility Plan Identification of Barriers 1. Accessibility Advisory Committee will review and provide input on our election accessibility initiatives. 2. Update and use an accessibility checklist for election personnel to use when conducting site visits of each voting location. This information is maintained in our electronic elections management software. 3. Assess voting processes and procedures to ensure they meet the needs of the electorate. 4. Communicate with staff from various municipalities throughout Ontario and other parts of Canada to seek input on barriers they have identified. 5. Seek input from Clarington’s Accessibility Coordinator. 6. Seek input from the CNIB and other organizations, where applicable, on how to decrease barriers to voting. Removal and Prevention of Barriers Communications and Information 1. Ensure communication initiatives and information for candidates and electors are available in alternate formats (hardcopy, website, videos, emailed files, where applicable) free of charge. 2. Post all election information to Municipality’s website: VotesMatter.Clarington.net. The website is compliant with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Level AA World Content Accessible Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and contains a free web page reader to assist individuals who have difficulty reading online (i.e. Browse Aloud). This level of website accessibility incorporates tools and design elements to ensure accessibility. For example, text alternatives for any non-text content will be provided so that the content can be changed into other forms that people may need. Attachment 1 to Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 3. Accessible elections information, to be posted on the website in clear simple language, including, but not limited to, the following information: Voting process Voting locations Transit information Parking Special Voting Locations Voting Tools Proxy Voting Special Mail-in Ballots Personal Assistance Distribution of election information in alternative formats Disruption of services Feedback Accessible Elections Policies and Procedures 4. Provide a copy of and links to a “Candidates Guide to Accessible Elections”, produced jointly by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario and the Province. 5. Solicit feedback on accessibility initiatives through our Election web page and by way of manual form, “Accessibility Feedback Form”, at each of the voting locations. 6. Provide all election officials with accessible customer service training. Training will also include the proper use of accessibility tools available for electors to use to assist with the voting process. In addition, election officials will be trained to provide the correct pronunciation of each candidate’s name when assisting voters as incorrect pronunciation can affect oral understanding for a person with a vision loss. 7. Provide “Customer Service Feedback Forms” at all voting locations. 8. Provide information to candidates and third party advertisers regarding campaign expenses and, in particular, rules affecting candidates/third party advertisers with disabilities. 9. Ensure that note pads and pens are available at all voting locations to assist in communicating with electors who are deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing. 10. Publicize the following communication channels so that an elector with election accessibility concerns can readily contact the Municipal Clerk’s Department Staff: Phone: 905-623-3379 ext. 8683 (VOTE) Email: ClaringtonMunicipalElection@clarington.net Fax: 905-623-6506 Attachment 1 to Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 11. Follow the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) clear print guidelines and signage guidelines for signs and other print materials. This includes posting signs and materials at eye level and without obstructions (e.g. tables) to allow the person to get closer or use a magnifier. 12. A Voter Notification Card (VNC) will be sent to each household. In addition to other election-related information, such as the date and time of the election, the VNC will inform electors that all voting locations will be accessible as well informing them that assistive devices will be available at the advanced voting opportunities. 13. In the event of disruptions to service or unforeseen circumstances that affect the accessibility of voting locations during the advance vote or on voting day, notices of disruption, including information regarding the nature of service, the reason, the expected length of disruption, and alternatives, will be posted in real time: On the Municipality’s website On Facebook On Twitter At the site of the disruption At the Municipal Administration Centre located at 40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville Where applicable, a media advisory will be issued. Voting Locations 1. Provide Voting Place Supervisors with list of location-specific instructions to improve accessibility of the location. 2. Continuous Accessibility hourly inspections. 3. Utilize table lifts at each voting location to accommodate the needs of any elector in a scooter or in a higher wheelchair. 4. Provide appropriate signage at voting locations. 5. Ensure a minimum of two designated or reserved parking spaces at each voting location for persons with disabilities. 6. Provide a sufficient number of voting locations throughout the Municipality on Voting Day and during the Advance Voting period to limit travel distances. 7. Public Transportation Access – where possible, voting locations will be selected to provide easy access to public transit stops. Attachment 1 to Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 8. Check the access doors frequently to offer assistance and where the entrance to the voting location is not within the immediate vicinity of the voting location, have additional Election Officials assigned to them to provide assistance. 9. Any person with a disability accompanied by a support person or service animal may enter any voting location with his or her support person or service animal, including the voting compartment areas. 10. Ensure that there is adequate lighting, especially in the voting compartment areas. 11. When selecting voting locations, staff will strive to have a seamless process from curb to ballot for voters, with a particular emphasis on the process for voters with a visual or mobility impairment. 12. All presentations (e.g. PowerPoint presentations) will be in conformity with the Municipality of Clarington’s Presentation Guidelines. Voting 1. Special Mail-in Ballot – where the elector can request a mail-in ballot package. 2. Provide fully accessible voting assistive device (audio/tactile interface) at all five Advance Voting Days – one advanced voting location on each of the five Advance Voting Days. 3. Provide vote anywhere in the Municipality on Advance Voting Days. 4. Per the Act, provide voting opportunities on the premises of: a) an institution in which 20 or more beds are occupied by persons who are disabled, chronically ill or infirmed; b) a retirement home in which 50 or more beds are occupied In accordance with the requirements of the Act, we will provide on-site voting for the residents of: Whitecliffe Terrace Retirement Residence Glen Hill Marnwood Fosterbrooke Long-Term Care Facility Glen Hill Strathaven Seasons Clarington Retirement Community Lakeridge Health Bowmanville Bowmanville Creek Retirement Community 5. In cases where an elector is unable to attend a voting location, the elector may appoint another person to act on their behalf (i.e. proxy voting). Attachment 1 to Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-020-17 6. Provide magnifying sheets and large print images of ballots at all voting locations. 7. Provide a variety of marking tools (e.g. thick pens, skinny pens, markers, etc.) at all voting locations on Voting Day and on advanced voting days. 8. Ballot/tactile template to be used, as practicable, to assist voters with a visual impairment to assist in marking the ballot. 9. Ballot font size will be a minimum of 12 point font and will be sans serif, in conformance with accessible guidelines. Staff Training & Assistance 1. Staff training will incorporate provisions to meet accessible customer service standards. Ensure that staff are aware of the assistive devices in their supply packages and how to use them. 2. Election Officials will be provided with written reference materials. 3. Election Officials will be available to assist voters, as required. 4. The Municipality of Clarington recognizes that everyone learns differently. In order to provide training via different methods, training videos will be created by the Accessibility Coordinator for Election Officials who learn visually in addition to the written material and the group sessions (where material is presented by an instructors as well as hands on training).