An important but complicated “nature” of elections is the process it takes to get results, according to Municipal Clerk and Returning Officer for HRM, Iain MacLean.
In Halifax, we have alternative voting methods like online and over the phone, but we still have hand counted paper ballots as well – and those take time to tally.
MacLean tells our newsroom they had people working at it through the entire day and into the “wee hours of the morning” who have a number of different processes they have to follow.
“Within the HRM, we have an alternative voting platform that we can tabulate very quickly. Then we have hand counted paper ballots, and that process takes as long as it takes…and we are bound by legislation, so we follow the process.”
A number of council seats took hours before they were announced and, according to MacLean, they still won’t have final numbers for another day or two.
Changing voting methods
The alternative voting methods, such as online and over the phone, can be tabulated very quickly, but has to be cut off a couple of days before election day.
Iain tells us the reason for this is because of a legislative requirement.
“Because we offer an alternative vote and a paper vote, we have to shut off the alternative vote and print off the strike off list for every voting station. We have to take a couple of days to do that.”
He says, the only way to get away from that is to take away the paper voting completely in HRM, and that is something they are looking into.
“We do have a motion that we are going to be following up on that is doing an all-alternative election for the Halifax Regional Municipality and we are hoping to have that in front of Regional Council within the year.”
MacLean adds, if alternative voting methods weren’t used, there would have been even a few thousand more ballots to count.
Tired, happy and moving onward
There are about 1,200 workers around HRM that are part of MacLean’s team, who put a lot of hours into the election.
“I’m just very proud of the team and the constant never ending improvement exercise that we are all tasked with…something we look forward to doing to try to serve the people of the community.”
MacLean says there was about a 25.2 per cent alternative voter turnout and about 10 per cent participation on Saturday.
The new mayor and council members will be sworn in on November 5.
