The Bonnyville-Cold Lake PC Association has enacted a new bylaw to ensure the controversy that surrounded the 2015 nomination process doesn't repeat itself.
Under the bylaw all future nomination processes in the constituency will now having polling stations located in Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Glendon, all of which will hold votes on the same date, at the same time.
“What we are trying to avoid is the optics or even the (ability) of gaining a polling station to the benefit of one nominee over another,” said Bob Buckle, President of the Bonnyville—Cold Lake PC Association.
“Ultimately you want to have a set of rules or a policy that you can live by that is fair and says where (the polling stations) are. Whether you are running as a candidate from here or there it doesn't really matter because the polling stations (are set).”
The lack of polling stations was loudly contested during the 2015 nomination process after the local PC Association executive decided to only have one poll for the entire riding in Cold Lake. Many objected the single polling station feeling it gave an added advantage to one candidate over the other.
After weeks of public outrage, the PC Alberta nominating committee stepped in and organized an operated a two-hour advanced poll at the ACFA Hall in Bonnyville. While this met the requests of some of the angry PC members, others were displeased a poll never made it to Glendon.
Over 13 months after the disputed nomination process the Bonnyville—Cold Lake PC Association met in Ardmore for their annual general meeting, where the new bylaw was discussed and passed.
After Buckle introduced the topic to crowd of over 60 people, former Bonnyville—Cold Lake MLA Genia Leskiw made the motion calling for consistent polling stations in Bonnyville and Cold Lake.
Mike Krywiak, a MD Councillor who represents the Village of Glendon, pitched a friendly amendment to add Glendon to the bylaw, which was accepted by Leskiw.
“We have three urban centres in this riding – Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Glendon – so we should have three polling stations. Glendon is different than Ardmore and Cherry Grove. It is a municipality,” said Krywiak.
The consensus was to cap the polling stations to two or three, as several members of the executive voiced concern over the ability of finding volunteers and funding for each additional station.
“If you start opening it up to have it everywhere somebody puts a nominee forward it is going to be very difficult for the PC executive team to staff it and organize it,” said Buckle. “I don't want to replay last year all over again.”
Historically the PC Association has only had one nomination poll located in Bonnyville. However, when Leskiw was seeking nominate for her first term back in 2008 she requested polling stations in Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Glendon.
Future Bonnyville—Cold Lake PC Association nomination processes will see a three polling station system used.
