Meili fears ballots mailed too late

NDP leadership candidate Ryan Meili is concerned mail-in ballots to choose the race’s winner may have been sent out by the party too late.

“We were hoping they would be out a little earlier to give people a bit more time to vote by mail,” said the Saskatoon Meewasin MLA, adding he was happy to learn party members had received their ballots by Monday. A new leader will be chosen on March 3.

His campaign sent out an email to supporters asking them to send their ballots in by Tuesday, in order for the ballots to arrive in time to be counted.

“It is a concern and something we’ve raised with the party and asked them to think through a contingency plan,” he said. “We certainly wouldn’t want anyone to be not having their vote counted because some of the delays.”

Those voting can also vote online if they wish, and Meili’s campaign has offered to help people do so if they need it.

“We just want to make sure as many people vote as possible,” said Meili.

NDP provincial secretary and CEO John Tzupa says all the ballots have been mailed out and, based on everything the party anticipated, members should have their ballots by Wednesday.

He added the party will be “making sure people let us know if they haven’t” received a ballot.

The NDP contracted out a company — Montreal-based Simply Voting — to manage the voting process. Tzupa says the company and party are “very comfortable” with the current timetable.

“People get very excited and nervous. Everyone wants to make sure their vote counts,” said Tzupa, when asked about the concern raised by Meili and shared by at least some members.

He added such feelings are “pretty normal” and that people are voting “immediately upon receiving their ballots.”

The party is also expecting several members to vote online.

Meili’s lone competitor in the leadership race, Trent Wotherspoon, does not share the same level of concern over ballots and their timing.

Wotherspoon’s lead organizer Mitchell Bonokoski said in a statement people receiving ballots by end-of-day Tuesday “gives enough turn-around time for those choosing to vote by mail” and that “we aren’t concerned at this time.”

“We’ll keep a close eye to see how the ballot delivery unfolds and our campaign is ready to help anyone who isn’t able to vote by mail to vote online.”