HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD-33-97 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
REPORT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE File#
Date: JULY 7, 1997 Res. # 3
By-Law#
Report#: CD-3 3-97 File#:
Subject: MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 1997
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and
Administration Committee recommend to Council the following:
1 . THAT Report CD-33-97 be received;
2 . THAT election costs associated with the school boards, the
Regional Municipality of Durham and the Clarington Hydro-
Electric Commission be paid by the Municipality of
Clarington;
3 . THAT the advance polls for the 1997 municipal election be
held on Saturday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 5
between the hours of 10 : 00 a.m. and 8 : 00 p.m. ;
4 . THAT the polls to be located at Newcastle Health Care Centre
and Strathaven Lifecare Centre be open from 10 : 00 a.m. to
2 : 00 p.m. , November 10 and the poll to be located at
Marnwood Lifecare Centre be open from 4 : 00 p.m. to
8 : 00 p .m. , November 10; and
5 . THAT the appropriate by-laws be prepared and presented to
Council for adoption at the regular meeting scheduled to be
held on September 15 , 1997 .
BACKGROUND AND COMMENT:
In 1996, the Provincial Government passed a new Municipal
Elections Act which changes the way a municipality will conduct
its election. This new act empowers the Clerk to make decisions
on matters such as eligibility of voters and candidates, forms
and process and staffing needs . The reasoning behind this change
is that each individual municipality best knows what will work in
their particular situation and location. There are some issues,
however, which must be decided by Council, namely:
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• the question of charging back the election costs to school
boards, local boards and upper-tier municipalities
• the dates and times of advance polls
• the setting of voting hours in nursing homes and homes for
seniors
CHARGING BACK OF ELECTION COSTS
Under the Municipal Elections Act, the local municipality is
responsible for the costs of an election, yet under the Municipal
Act, there is authority to charge school boards, other local
boards (ie, hydro commissions) and upper-tier municipalities for
election costs attributable to the election of members of those
boards. In the case of a recount for a member of these boards
during a regular election, the cost shall be reimbursed by the
respective board/municipality.
Although the Act does not specify how costs are to be attributed
or shared, Clarington may charge back a portion of the cost of
conducting the election to the Regional Municipality of Durham,
the school boards and to the hydro-electric commission. The
Clerk' s Department is only aware of one municipality within the
GTA which has adopted such a by-law. The Town of Newmarket will
be charging back election costs to the York Region Board of
Education and the York Region Roman Catholic Separate School
Board using the following formula:
No. of Trustees Total
Total No. of Elected Representatives x Election Cost
If this formula had been applied to the 1994 election in
Clarington, the results would have been as follows :
Public School Board - 6/20 x $80, 872 = $24 , 262
Separate School Board - 3/20 x $80, 872 = $12, 130
Clarington Hydro-
Electric Commission - 4/20 x $80, 872 = $16, 175
Region of Durham - 3/20 x $80, 872 = $12 , 130
Using the above calculation, 800 of the cost to conduct the
election could have been recovered for the 1994 election. In
1997, these figures may change due to the reduction in the number
of Regional Councillors and to the passing of the Provincial Bill
dealing with school boards which may affect the number of
trustees for each board.
Report CD-33-97 - 3 - July 7, 1997
From a financial point of view, the reasons for charging back to
the local boards and the Region of Durham are obvious . It may be
argued, however, that the Regional Councillors serve as a member
of the Municipal Council, therefore, would it be fair to charge
costs back to the Region? If only one municipality within the
Region charges back the costs, these costs are now being paid by
everyone within the Region as the costs now become part of the
Region' s budget, yet, the other municipalities are left covering
their own election costs as well .
Presently, the school boards must allow the municipalities the
use of their facilities for an election without cost; charging
back election costs may prompt the boards to request the Province
to amend this section of the Act, allowing them to charge for the
use of their facilities . There is also the question of
straining the relationships between the municipality and the
school boards and also the removal of funds intended for the
teaching of the children.
Should the school boards, the Clarington Hydro-Electric
Commission and the Region be charged, it is feasible that the
costs may be charged back through higher taxes or rates . In
light of the above, it is staff' s recommendation that Council not
charge back these costs for the 1997 election.
DATES AND TIMES FOR ADVANCE POLLS
In the past, the two advance poll dates for a municipal election
were legislated as the second Saturday of November and the
Wednesday immediately prior to the election. The Municipal
Elections Act now allows for as many advance polls and hours of
operation as the municipality feels necessary, as long as one
advance poll is held. The reasons for holding an advance poll
are to allow voters who cannot vote on election day an
opportunity to vote and to offer an alternative to anyone to vote
other than election day, when it is generally busy. The advance
polls have been fairly well attended in the municipality and, as
the electors are accustomed to the Saturday and Wednesday dates
for advance polls, it is staff' s recommendation that we continue
with these two dates for the 1997 election. It is necessary,
under the new Act, for Council to pass a by-law to that effect .
This by-law will be presented to Council at its first meeting in
September.
HOURS OF OPERATION FOR POLLS IN RETIREMENT HOMES
The Municipal Elections Act states that retirement homes,
including nursing homes, must have a voting poll but the hours of
operation of these polls can now be determined by Council . In
1994 , polls were set up in Marnwood Lifecare Centre (which had 11
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Report CD-33-97 - 4 - July 7, 1997
voters) , Strathaven Lifecare Centre (which had 32 voters) and
Newcastle Health Care Centre (which had 13 voters) . Having three
teams of election workers at these polls with such low voter
turnout is not an efficient use of the workers' time . The
Clerk' s Department would like to shorten the hours of the polls
in these locations to four hours . By doing so, one team can
service one location in the morning then a second one in the
afternoon, thereby reducing the number of workers required. The
third location would also have a four hour poll and the workers
there would assist with other duties following the close of the
poll .
HOURS OF OPERATION FOR POLLS
The Municipal Elections Act states that the voting places shall
be open for the electors to vote from 10 : 00 a.m. until 8 : 00 p.m. ,
however, the Council may pass a by-law specifying that certain
polls be opened prior to 10 : 00 a.m. Given that the regular
voting hours allow electors a total of 10 hours to cast their
ballots on voting day, as well as during either of the advance
polls, it is not recommended that the hours be extended.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is therefore recommended:
1 . THAT Report CD-33-97 be received;
2 . THAT election costs associated with the school boards, the
Regional Municipality of Durham and the Clarington Hydro-
Electric Commission be paid by the Municipality of
Clarington;
3 . THAT the advance polls for the 1997 municipal election be
held on Saturday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 5
between the hours of 10 : 00 a.m. and 8 : 00 p.m. ;
4 . THAT the polls to be located at Newcastle Health Care Centre
and Strathaven Lifecare Centre be open from 10 : 00 a.m. to
2 : 00 p.m. , November 10 and the poll to be located at
Marnwood Lifecare Centre be open from 4 : 00 p.m. to
8 : 00 p.m. , November 10 ; and
5 . THAT the appropriate by-laws be prepared and presented to
Council for adoption at the regular meeting scheduled to be
he _ on September 15, 1997 .
Res ,ec f submitted Reviewed by
/ Patt ' B rie, A.M. C.T. W.H. Stockwell
l�C Chief Administrative Officer
PLB
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