New election sign regulations to be implemented in Welland

Changes are coming to the way elections are conducted in the City of Welland.

A report from election co- ordinator Laurie Dayboll will be presented to city councillors at their general committee meeting tonight.

The report recommends amending council’s code of conduct, establishing a policy for use of corporate resources during an election period, amending its signs bylaw and creating a bylaw to regulate election signs starting this year. Dayboll’s report says the use of corporate resources policy was developed using Welland’s code of conduct and research conducted by the Niagara Area Clerks Election Task Force.

“The policy attempts to reconcile the fact that members of council must be able to continue to perform the duties of their office during an election year with the need to establish clear guidelines to ensure that election campaigns of sitting members do not receive any benefits by virtue of their office, while at the same time clarifying the use of corporate resources for other candidates, municipal staff and the public,” the report said.

Under the election signs section, Dayboll cites the Municipal Elections Modernization Act and changes made to it that are in effect for the 2018 election.

The act talks about: landlords, condominium corporations, or their agents, no longer being able to prohibit owners or tenants from displaying election signs; election advertisements in any form being made clear that the candidate is responsible for the messaging, whether they purchased it themselves or directed someone else; and third- party advertising identifying that party as the advertiser. Dayboll recommends a new election signs bylaw be prepared to regulate the placement of election signs. This will be the first election for which the regional chair will be directly elected by voters. The task force is working to ensure rules are clearly understood across the boundaries of lower- tier municipalities.