HomeMy WebLinkAboutCLK 02-18DICKERING
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Report to
Council
Report Number: CLK 02-18
Date: June 25, 2018
From:. Paul Bigioni
Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor
Subject: 2018 Municipal Election - Update
Recommendation:
1. That Report CLK 02-18 from the Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor regarding
the 2018 Municipal Election be received for information.
Executive Summary: This report gives an update of the processes that have been
completed to date in regards to the 2018 Municipal Elections.
Financial Implications: Not Applicable
Discussion: Further to the approval of By-law 7549/17, the City of Pickering shall
be conducting the 2018 Municipal Election by internet and telephone voting. Internet and
telephone voting is a vote anywhere anytime solution which allows an eligible elector on the
Voters' List to cast an electronic ballot from their computer, tablet or smartphone from any
location provided they have an Internet connection. Eligible electors are also able to cast an
audio vote from a touch tone telephone.
In accordance with Council direction, the purpose of this report is to provide Council with an
update on the planning for the 2018 Municipal Election. The following is a summary of the
processes completed to date.
Internet/Telephone Voting
Internet/Telephone Voting is being conducted by Dominion Voting Systems for the City of
Pickering's 2018 Municipal Elections. Dominion Voting Systems has been the election
provider for the City of Pickering since 2006. A representative from Dominion Voting Systems
attended the May 14th Council Meeting to answer questions about the system and, through the
aid of a power point presentation, explained how the voting process works.
With InternetlTelephone Voting, an eight-day voting period is put in place within which the
elector can cast a vote at any time. This contrasts with the traditional process of setting
specified dates and times for advance voting days and Election Day. The City of Pickering will
have a voting period that begins at 10:00 am on Monday, October 15, 2018 through to 8:00 pm
on Monday, October 22, 2018. Internet/Telephone Voting allows the eligible voter to vote
CLK 02-18 June 25, 2018
Subject: 2018 Municipal Election — Communications Update Page 2
anywhere and at anytime during the voting period, provided the Elector has received a Voter
Information Letter with a confidential PIN number, and has access to an internet connection or
to a touch tone telephone.
The City of Pickering has a one step process for internet/telephone voting which is called
"voting without registration". Each Elector receives an individual Voter Information Letter before
the Voting Period starts with information on how and when to vote. The Voter Information
Letter is sent to the Elector in a secure envelope and the letter also includes confidential PIN
numbers. The Elector uses the PIN numbers and also a third piece of personal information of
the elector in order to sign in to cast their vote.
The Dominion Voting System also has a Language Management option where the Elector can
choose French or English in their voting process. The Dominion Voting System supports a
minimum of WCAG 2.0 Level A accessibility standards, and also uses standardized HTML and
JavaScript to ensure compatibility with all market leading screen readers and web accessible
devices.
Communication Plan
Internet/telephone voting is a new way of voting for the City of Pickering. With any new
process comes added pressure to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
Communication is a key ingredient in promoting the new system and educating the Electors
before, during and after the Voting Period.
Did you know that:
If you have an internet connection or landline and have your PIN number, you can vote
from the comfort of your home, cottage, or office;
If you have an internet connection or landline and have your PIN number, you can vote
from anywhere in the world;
If you have an internet connection or landline and have your PIN number, you can vote
at any College or University;
If you do not have an internet connection or landline, or need assistance with the voting
process, or need to be added to the Voters' List, you can attend a Voter Assistance
Centre for help.
A Communications Plan has been developed to promote the advantages of internet/telephone
voting through the City's website and social media, noting the ease, convenience and security
of the new system. The Communications Plan will show that voters have the ability to vote
from the comfort of their home, at work, on vacation, at school for students away from home
and with no line-ups. It is also important for electors to take advantage of the eight-day voting
period and to vote early, in the event they have any questions or require any assistance.
Also, communications have been developed to encourage residents to make sure that they are
on the Voters' List and that their information is correct. Recent legislative changes allow the
Chief Electoral Officer to share information from the permanent register of electors with the
Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) for use in preparing the Preliminary List
of Electors for municipalities. Given that the 2018 Provincial Election occurred on June 7,
CLK 02-18 June 25, 2018
Subject: 2018 Municipal Election — Communications Update Page 3
2018, it is expected that a more accurate and complete Preliminary List of Electors may be
available for the October municipal election.
Once information is confirmed regarding the Voter Assistance Centres, all dates and times will
be posted on the City's website and communications be issued to the electors as the
information becomes available.
Additional information regarding the internet/telephone voting process will be given to
Candidates if they wish to hand it out with their Campaign literature or when conducting door to
door campaigning.
Election staff will be at the Pickering Farmers Market on various days to promote and educate
electors on internet/telephone voting. Staff will be able to check to see if residents are on the
voters list and to provide general election information.
The City Clerk will be taking every available opportunity to promote and educate electors on
internet/telephone voting.
Voter Help Line
A Voter Help Line will be activated in September to address any Election related questions.
Operation of the voter Help Line will be Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with
extended hours during the Voting Period.
Voter Information Letters
A Voter Information Letter will be delivered to each eligible elector in a household who is on
the voters list. The letters will be mailed at the end of September 2018, and will arrive in
mailboxes the first week of October. Eligible electors who do not receive a Voter Information
Letter should contact the 2018 Municipal Election Help Desk to find out if they are on the
Voters' List or to be added to the list, if needed. The Voter Information Letters Procedure is
attached to this report as Attachment No. 1.
Voter Assistance Centres
Even though the City of Pickering is conducting an Internet/Telephone Voting process, Voter
Assistance Centres will be available to eligible electors who need assistance with the voting
process, who do not have either Internet access or a touch tone phone or who need to be
added to the Voters' List. The following locations have been confirmed as Voter Assistance
Centres for the 2018 Municipal Elections. The Voter Assistance Centres will be open various
days and times and information regarding Voter Assistance Centres will be confirmed and
relayed on the City website and in community ads in mid-September 2018.
CLK 02-18 June 25, 2018
Subject: 2018 Municipal Election — Communications Update Page 4
Pickering Recreation Complex
1867 Valley Farm Road
Pickering, ON
George Ashe Library & Community Centre
470 Kingston Road West
Pickering, ON
Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson Community Centre
4941 Old Brock Road
Claremont, ON
East Shore Community Centre
910 Liverpool Road South
Pickering, ON
Whitevale Community Centre
475 Whitevale Road
Pickering, ON
Agape Temple
1999 Fairport Road
Pickering, ON L1V 4M2
Staff will monitor all Voter Assistance Centres on a daily basis and will re -allocate election staff
if necessary to provide assistance/relief at the busiest voting places and times.
Special Voting Locations
Staff have been working with retirement homes and a Co -Operative Housing Unit in Pickering
to offer assistance with the voting processes for the 2018 Municipal Elections. Staff will visit
the following locations to provide training and equipment on the voting process and to assist
any eligible voters that need it.
VIVA Pickering Chartwell
1880 Glengrove Road
Pickering, ON L1V 1X2
Chartwell Pickering City Centre
1801 Valley Farm Road
Pickering, ON L1V 0A5
Orchard Villa Retirement Residence
1955 Valley Farm Road
Pickering, ON L1V 3R6
Rougemount Co -Operative Homes Inc.
400 Kingston Road
Pickering, ON L1V 6S1
Testing and Auditing of the Voting System
Parkway Retirement Residence
1645 Pickering Parkway
Pickering, ON L1V 7E9
Abbeylawn Manor
534 Rodd Avenue
Pickering, ON L1W 2B2
Bay Ridges LTCC
900 Sandy Beach Road
Pickering, ON L1 W 1Z4
The Clerk's Office conducts testing and auditing of the Voting System throughout the various
implementation phases of the process. Election staff also conduct a logic and accuracy test,
which is essentially a mock election, before the Election period begins to ensure that the
system is fully functional. During the logic and accuracy test, any candidate or scrutineer is
welcome to attend, in order to build confidence in the voting system.
CLK 02-18 June 25, 2018
Subject: 2018 Municipal Election — Communications Update Page 5
Internet voting platforms utilize the same stringent access methodologies and encryption
principals which protect internet banking sites and electronic medical records. In addition to
the extensive security measures that Dominion Voting Systems carries out, the Clerk's Office
has also collaborated with other municipalities who will be using Dominion Voting Systems to
conduct a Third Party Security Penetration Test which will test the integrity of the Voting
System by an independent third party.
Notice of Results
The unofficial results for each candidate by office, shall be made available by the Clerk after
8:00 pm on Monday, October 22, 2018, at the City Clerk's Office and the Clerk shall post the
same Unofficial Results on the municipality's website.
As soon as possible after Monday, October 22, 2018, the Clerk shall declare the Official
Results by completing the "Certificate of Election Results" and posting the Official Results on
the City's website.
Attachments:
1. Voter Information Letters Procedure
Prepared By:
Debbie Shields
City Clerk
Solicitor
Pa
Dir
prov-dlEndorsed By:
orate Services & City
Recommended for the consideration
of Pickering City Council
Tony Preve•el, P.Eng.
Chief Administrative Officer
elly 6(1
DICKERING
I
Voter Information Letters
Procedure
2018 Municipal Election
pickering.ca
Purpose
To describe the process used to generate and distribute Voter Information
Letters to eligible electors in an election.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the City Clerk to ensure that a Voter Information Letter
be sent to each eligible elector on the Voters' List in time for those electors to
vote.
Design & Content of Voter Information Letters
Voter Information Letters shall be designed in a manner that is accessible and
easy to read.
Each eligible elector on the Voters' List shall receive an individual Voter
Information Letter, regardless of the number of Electors at a given address or
household.
Voter Information Letters shall contain at minimum:
- The date(s), time(s), and location(s) at which an elector may cast their
ballot during the Voting Period;
- The race(s) and question(s) on the ballot for which an Elector is eligible to
cast a ballot;
- How an elector may cast their ballot, including the use of any Alternative
Voting Method;
- The elector's unique identifier information (e.g. PIN) necessary to cast
their ballot, if any;
- A description of electors' qualifications and warnings against voting
illegally; and
- Contact information for elections help desk.
The design and production of Voter Information Letters for any election shall be
coordinated with any Voting System Provider, or subcontractor thereof, to ensure
integration with the Voting System and the Voters' List.
Distribution of Voter Information Letters
Following production of the Voters' List, Voter Information Letters, shall be
populated with Electors' information from the Voters' List. During a regular
election, Voter Information Letters shall be distributed to Electors no later than
the first week of October by standard addressed letter mail.
Where Voter Information Letters shall be distributed by mail, all unique identifier
information pertaining to the Elector shall be hidden from view and not visible
through the mailing envelope.
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In the event of a postal strike during an election, Voter Information Letters may
be distributed by other means, as the City Clerk deems necessary.
Where an elector qualifies at more than one location as a result of owning or
renting more than one property, the elector shall vote only once and the
qualifying address to determine eligibility for voting shall be at the place of
residence of the elector, as defined under the Act. All electors that vote more
than once in an Election or who improperly uses the Voter Information Letter
shall be reported to the appropriate authorities for further investigation as to
possible corrupt practices under the Act.
An elector cannot give his/her Voter Information Letter to another person for the
purpose of voting. Acceptance of another elector's Voter Information Letter
including the actual voting thereof will be considered an illegal and corrupt
practice and shall be reported to the appropriate authorities and therefore subject
to the penalty provision under the Municipal Elections Act.
The Criminal Code of Canada states that tampering with the mail of an individual
is a criminal offence. Since Pickering's election relies on delivery of Voter
Information Letters to eligible electors in order to allow those electors to exercise
their right to vote, any instance or substantiated account of mail tampering will be
taken very seriously and reported to the authorities.
Voter Information Letter Returns, Corrections & Re -Issuance
Voter Information Letters returned, re -issued or corrected either by an individual
or by mail, will be opened and the PIN status will be disabled so that the PIN
cannot be used to vote. The City Clerk and the Election Official(s) in partnership
with Dominion Voting Systems shall ensure a complete audit trail is maintained of
all Voter Information Letters:
a) that were sent or issued to eligible voters;
b) that were returned by mail;
c) that were personally returned by an elector or other individual(s) either
opened or unopened but unused for voting purposes;
d) where the PIN was set to a status that prevented it from being used;
e) that were re -issued to an eligible elector.
Where a Voter Information Letter is returned to the municipality as a result of
undeliverable mail, Election Staff shall open the letter, disable the PIN status and
shall note on the Voters' List that the Voter Information Letter was returned for
undeliverable mail.
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If an Elector did not receive their Voter Information Letter in the mail, it is their
responsibility to contact the Clerk's Office to have a new Voter Information Letter
issued, including any associated Unique Identifier Information necessary to cast
a ballot.
Where a Voter Information Letter is reported lost, Election Staff shall disable any
PIN or other Unique Identifier Information necessary to cast a ballot using the
missing Voter Information Letter.
When an Elector requests a Voter Information Letter during the Voting Period of
the election, Election Staff shall ensure that the Elector has not already received
a replacement Voter Information letter or cast a ballot before issuing another
Voter Information Letter to the Elector.
Where a new Voter Information Letter is to be issued to an Elector, the new Voter
Information Letter may be distributed to the Elector by mail or in-person. At the
discretion of an Election Official, a Voter Information Letter may be issued by e-
mail in a rare set of circumstances, and subject to certain rules and limitations, if
timing does not allow for traditional mail delivery. It is the responsibility of
Electors to maintain the secrecy of information provided to them on their Voter
Information Letter (e.g. PIN's).
Where an eligible elector has tried his or her PIN and they have determined that
it has already been used, the elector can attend a Voter Assistance Centre with
satisfactory identification to have the PIN reviewed by Election Officials. Once
reviewed the elector shall complete an "Application for Re -Issue of a Voter's
Information Letter (Lost and Unused)" form and receive a new Voter Information
Letter.
All Voter Information Letters returned by an elector shall be stored in a secure
manner and destroyed at the same time as all other Election material in
accordance with the Act.
Declaration
In accordance with Section 12(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, I hereby
certify that the attached procedures shall be followed in conducting the 2018
Municipal Elections in the City of Pickering.
Debbie Shields Date
City Clerk/Returning Officer
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