Many loose ends from ‘14 election

Dear Editor: In October of 2014 two community activists Vicki Lightfoot and Kevin Proteau approached Penticton City Council with concerns over electronic vote counting machines. While they didn’t imply Penticton council hacked the machines, Lightfoot’s point was that they could be hacked. Similar concerns were expressed in Osoyoos by council candidate Sy Murseli.

Lightfoot said that while council presently allows a council candidate to appoint a scrutineer, what is the point when these voting machines can be set to alter the vote in any manner you wish?

Proteau offered a solution: Use the electronic machines on election night and then the next morning recount them by hand with qualified scrutineers in attendance. It wouldn’t take longer than a morning. Maybe even get a high school civics class to conduct the recount. That would be a great way to introduce them to the election process. (Herald editorial, Oct 8, 2014)

Under experienced supervision it would also introduce them to importance of secure elections and making your vote count.

After a federal election Judge Gary Hearn speaking of the Robocalls affair called voter suppression a serious crime.

Though council promised to look at this matter what we received on election day in 2014 was a giant-sized screw up. Voters were prevented from entering near deserted voting chambers as new registrants voting for the first time flooded the polls effectively taking precedence over long-time voters.

There were too many loose ends in the 2014 civic election leaving the possibility of tampering by the inadequate securing of elector paper ballots. Penticton voters will never know whether an efficient election with secure ballot protection would have changed the result of the election or not. Municipal councils have a duty to ensure that voters wishes are respected that they are allowed to vote and that those votes are securely held so that no allegations can be made that their votes were tampered with.

Safeguarding electoral ballots and the scrutineer sealing of ballot boxes before and after elections adequate voting opportunities along with a manual vote count is the only way voters can be sure their vote is honoured and respected.

Please ask your MLA to bring municipal elections under the Elections Act the same as provincial and federal elections. Elvena Slump

Penticton