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City hopes to have electronic, online voting ready if by-election is needed

THUNDER BAY -- The city is hoping to have its electronic voting up and running should a by-election take place after the federal election.
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THUNDER BAY -- The city is hoping to have its electronic voting up and running should a by-election take place after the federal election.

A pair of requests for proposals are out right now as the city looks for electronic voting, both internet and telephone, and it electronic tabulator.

"So we're ready not only for the 2018 election but any by-election that may come up between now and then," city clerk John Hannam said.  

With Current River Coun. Andrew Foulds currently on the campaign trail for the federal NDP in Thunder Bay-Superior North, that ward could be without a councillor Oct. 20.

Requests for proposals close Oct. 23, with city staff reviewing the proposals and getting demonstrations on equipment in the weeks after that.

Hannam said the city could be in a position to try out electronic voting should Foulds be elected as a federal MP.

But that would take making sure the system is in place plus giving enough time to educate the public on the process.

"It would be a nice opportunity to try out some strategies and see what the response from the community is," Hannam said.

"Over the next week or two after (the RFP) closes we'll be working toward a decision."

Companies tend to base their bids on a city's voter list, with it costing around 75 cents to a dollar per voter. Thunder Bay has around 82,000 eligible voters. 

City council approved alternative voting methods in June.

 





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