THUNDER BAY -- An advance poll surpassed a group of young professionals' expectations almost as quickly as it opened but a candidate says he was treated unfairly.
The SHIFT Votes event caused some controversy when the young professionals network announced it would host a voting event complete with an advance poll. President Peter Marchl said he thought he was being optimistic when he predicted 40 voters would turn up Monday night at Mariner's Hall.
That number, which eventually saw 116 people by the time the poll closed, was beaten almost as soon as the 5 p.m open.
"I think it's fantastic and it's more than just young professionals and shifters coming out," Marchl said.
The poll was criticized as favouring certain candidates. With a wide range of ages lining up to vote Monday, Marchl said it seemed like
the concerns were coming from a select group of people and it didn't deter voters from coming out.
"What we're trying to achieve is for young professionals to get out and vote and there was really no sideline as far as us trying to promote a certain candidate or anything like that."
Marchl said the city's youth need to be engaged in the political process otherwise there won't by anyone to lead the city in the future.
Because it was an official poll, candidates were asked to not actively campaign. Northwood candidate Frank Armiento was asked to leave several times. When a SHIFT member escorted him to the door, Armiento said the move was aggressive.
"He pushed me out the door and tried to be diplomatic. You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know when I'm trying to be pushed out?" Armiento said.
Armiento left briefly and then sat near the door and said he was waiting for his wife as they were going to have a drink at Bight, the restaurant that uses the same entrance as Mariner's Hall. City clerk John Hannam said that was Armiento's right but that he wasn't allowed past a certain point in the hall itself.
"You can't hang out here Frank it's a voting place," Hannam said.
You be the judge: Listen to the back-and-forth between City Clerk John Hannam and Northwood candidate Frank Armiento below.
