Kitchener surveying how to conduct next election

Councillors will review report on community response to questions presented by staff in the fall

KITCHENER — When it comes to voting in the 2022 municipal election, Kitchener wants to know how you prefer to cast your ballot.

For now, Kitchener only offers in-person voting on the day of the election or advance voting in selected areas.

But the city is looking at other options such as online voting, mail-in ballots and voting by phone.

Earlier this month, the city started an online survey that is open until Aug. 31 in which city staff wants to know which options residents prefer and if there is interest in multiple forms of voting.

If the survey responses so far are any indication, residents may be offering lots of advice.

Since the online survey opened on July 9, the city has received 500 responses, said city clerk Christine Tarling.

“We are pretty excited,” she said. “That is a strong uptake and response.”

The survey asks residents to rank which option they prefer. It also asks what barriers or challenges people faced when voting in the last election.

Tarling said city staff will gather the information and collate the responses into a report that will come before council in the fall.

A recommendation by staff will be presented to councillors.

The Municipal Election Act allows council to pass a bylaw to offer alternative voting methods.

Councillors could pass a bylaw allowing for other voting methods. It must be passed before May 2022, Tarling said.

Tarling said the “suite of voting options” gives residents choices, allowing them to choose what is best for them. It’s another example of the city trying to improve the process when it comes to municipal elections, she said.

“We want to make it as accessible as possible.”