Mail-in ballots recommended for this fall's municipal election

The City of Ottawa recommends special ballots be used in this fall's municipal election, which will add more than $650,000 to the total cost of the city's election period.

Ottawa Public Health has given the green light to hold city-wide elections with in-person polling stations in October 2022, but COVID-19 could still have an impact at voting time.

To that end, city staff proposed an "alternative voting method,"in particular for eligible voters "from high-risk groups, including older adults and electors with disabilities who are more susceptible to the effects of COVID-19."

Voters who request a mail-in ballot will be ableto mark their ballot at home and mail or delivertheir ballot to the city's elections office, or one of the city's client service centres.

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Staff also argue the mail-in ballot could be used as a contingency plan to help residents in long-term care and retirement homes vote in case COVID-19 leads to a renewed set of public health restrictions.

More information on the mail-in ballots isexpected isbe shared in the spring. The special mail-in ballots are expected to contribute $653,000 to the municipal election's total tally of $9.2 million.

In its report tothe finance and economic development committee Tuesday, staff took pains to emphasize mail-in ballots are in no way meant as a large-scale replacement for in-person voting.

In fact, six days of advance polls are being planned for the fall election, in addition to voting day. On Oct. 24, the city is planning to operate 366 voting places, including 125 in long-term care and retirement homes.

The special ballots and budget for the election wereapprovedby the committee. City council is expected to consider them next week.