Search on for NOTL polling stations

St. Davids and Queenston residents may get to cast their ballots in the municipal election this fall in their own communities after all.

A decision had been made by Niagara-on-the-Lake town staff to reduce the number of polling locations to three from five by eliminating them in the two communities, but town councillors and several residents are opposed to it.

A staff report came to the town’s corporate services advisory committee Monday that provided details about voting locations for the advance polls and on election day Oct. 27. Amendments to the Municipal Elections Act gives staff authority for administering elections, so councillors do not get to vote on the changes.

However, town clerk Peter Todd went to Queenston and St. Davids Monday to look for potential polling locations that are accessible and have adequate parking. He said the Laura Secord Homestead may work, but the interior is quite small. St. Davids Public School is also being considered as a polling station despite its limited parking.

Some councillors suggested that advance polls be held in the two communities if there were no polling stations there on election day. Coun. Jim Collard requested that free busing to the polls be provided to St. Davids and Queenston residents as there is no public transit in those areas.

Reducing the number of polling locations “I believe would lead to voter suppression,” said Sandra O’Connor, an Old Town resident.

“I believe this is going to alienate the voters in those particular areas,” she said.

O’Connor noted that the population of Niagara-on-the-Lake has grown by 11 per cent since the last election and reducing polling locations will also put more pressure on the three remaining sites. She added that the lineups were so long at the community centre in 2014 that she went to Queenston to vote.

“If the province is able to find eight (polling station) facilities, then we can find five,” said O’Connor.