Is the e-vote date unfair to some? Dartmouth/Cole Harbour candidates speak out

Electronic voting may make it easier for residents to cast their ballots during this month's municipal election, but some candidates are concerned that allowing e-voting two weeks before election day will negatively impact their campaigns.

Lower Sackville municipal candidate Bruce DeVenne was first alerted to the two-week lag time between the Oct. 18 municipal election date and the Oct. 4 e-voting start date when he attended an information session at City Hall last month.

His biggest concern was that because e-voting takes place so much earlier, non-incumbents like himself only have half the time to campaign in their districts. DeVenne has since sent e-mails to all non-incumbents running in the municipal election to make sure they're also aware of the issue.

"This is definitely in favour of the incumbents because we the non-incumbents have to get out and see everybody. Some people have no name recognition," he said. "It's not fair to the new faces or to the voters because they can't meet everybody. This is made all the worse because of the federal election, which means the local election isn't getting half the press."

DeVenne has expressed his concerns to officials at the municipal returning office. He hoped the e-voting process would be moved closer to the actual date or dropped altogether.

"I have no problem with e-voting, but when it takes place elsewhere it seems to be with the advance polls or a day or two or even a few hours before the actual voting date," he said. "Theoretically the election could be over and we'll still be knocking on doors for two weeks. To me that is a realistic consequence."

HRM returning officer Linda Grant said although she's aware of the concerns raised by DeVenne, the e-voting date didn't cut two weeks off campaigning. She said candidates could begin knocking on doors long before the nomination deadline, and advance polls are open just four days after e-voting ends.

"E-voting ends Oct. 6, which is four days (before) the first advance poll.We need that preparation time to put together the voters list," Grant explained. "We're working with one voters list all the way through. After e-voting, the voters who went that route are crossed off. Then the advance poll voters are crossed off."

District 9, Albro Lake-Harbourview candidate Wayne Sitland said he feels it may give incumbents only a slight edge.

"I agree this early e-vote date could potentially be unfair to new candidates, however, they should have most, if not all, of their canvassing done by Oct. 4," said Sitland.

Christa Webber, candidate for District 8, Woodside-Eastern Passage, says she can certainly see why one would worry in regards to e-voting being potentially unfair to new candidates, but is not too concerned with focusing on that aspect of the election.

"I feel if a candidate prepares well in advance, and we were all aware the e-vote would take place, one would schedule campaign activities accordingly. I just have to work harder," said Webber. "I think e-voting, along with the D250 push, will increase voter turnout across HRM. Not to mention the increased numbers of younger votes we will capture, who do almost everything on the computer these days."

Lorelei Nicoll, a candidate in District 4, Cole Harbour, says the e-vote is an important addition to the election.

"While it would be nice to have more time to go door-to-door, I do feel it is important to improve voter turnout by providing the option of e-voting," said Nicoll.

Grant said the e-voting process was never kept a secret.

"I've been at this for four years," she said. "It has been to council, it has been in the newspaper, to the committee of the whole, and has been open to discussion and to the public that this was going to be an option for residents of HRM during this election."

E-voting takes place from Oct. 4 at 8 a.m. to Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.

lmckay@hfxnews.ca