Elections staff weary but ready
Turmoil triggered by Ford council cut adds $2.5 million in costs for city, officials say
With weeks of “dreadful uncertainty” behind them, election officials are confident they will quickly and accurately tell Torontonians the names of their mayor and 25 city councillors the night of Oct. 22. It comes with a cost, however. They estimate confusion and turmoil caused by Premier Doug Ford’s government cutting the number of wards to 25 from 47 in the middle of the election will cost the city at least $2.5 million for staff overtime, printing two sets of voter in- formation cards, and more.
When asked if the Ford government will pay any of those costs, or if the city will be on the hook for all of them, city clerk Ulli Watkiss told reporters on a tour of the Northline Rd. elections office: “We have not had those discussions.”
Watkiss, who was under huge pressure to hold a fair, legal election on the scheduled voting day, and warned city council in mid-September that Ford’s move and resulting court challenges had her at the “tipping point” of delaying the vote, called the ordeal “rather exhausting” and “very special, it will certainly be the one to remember.”
A Sept. 19 appeal court decision that confirmed council would be shrunk to 25 seats, to match provincial and federal boundaries, came “just in time,” Watkiss said, firmly repeating “just in time.”
She credited the readiness with “brilliant” city elections staff including deputy clerk Fiona Murray, who said she had not had a day off since July 30.
Many staff members worked 12 or even 14 hour days to ensure rigorous testing of election equipment and other preparations were done in time.
One of the few changes as a result of the council cut is that advance voting will be held for five days, from next Wednesday to Oct. 14 at two polling stations in each ward and also at city hall.
Voting for people away or otherwise unable to vote on election day had been previously scheduled for nine days. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 22.
Watkiss hopes results will be online by 9 p.m.
Voter assist terminals, for people with disabilities, will be in all polling stations.
Under a pilot program new for this election, people unable to leave home can get a home visit from election officials who will facilitate their voting.
People eligible for the service can register by the end of Tuesday by calling 416-3382020 or emailing AccessibleElections@toronto.ca.
Elections officials are asking Torontonians with questions, including whether they are on the voting list, which ward they live in, and who is eligible to vote, to visit the website myvote.toronto.ca.