COLD LAKE – City of Cold Lake councillors have voted to recommend a policy amendment that would allow City council to make final funding decisions for the Municipal Election Forum Grant program, stepping in due to a lack of public interest in forming a selection committee.
With no volunteers stepping forward to join the selection committee, administration recommended that council take on the decision-making role, despite concerns over political influence. The motion to direct administration to bring forward an amendment to the policy was passed, ensuring the program can continue without delay.
The program, adopted in November 2024, offers $7,500 and support to help local groups host all-candidates forums.
“This is an update just to advise the committee on where we're at with some of our planning efforts and what we're still in the process of figuring out,” said Kristy Isert, the City’s General Manager of Corporate Services.
She noted that voter turnout has historically been low, but said they expect a higher turnout in 2025.
“We do anticipate a higher turnout for this year's municipal election, and that is because it will be the first election that includes a mayoral election,” since 2007.
A key change this year is the new requirement for municipalities to use a permanent electors register.
“We’re are asking our people who may be eligible to vote to reach out to VoterLink ahead of time and ensure that VoterLink has their up-to-date information,” Isert explained, although VoterLink is temporarily down until June 24 due to provincial by-elections.
Election planning has also been impacted by legislative changes that prohibit automated ballot counting, requiring a fully manual process.
“We do anticipate the counting of ballots will be significantly longer than it had been in previous elections,” Isert said. “It is our utmost priority that we're accurate.”
Special ballots are now more accessible, as voters can request one without needing a specific reason. They must still meet identification and residency requirements before mailing it in.
While council had hoped to bring back the drive-thru polling option used during COVID, the logistics of the new permanent electors register make it unfeasible. Instead, polling will primarily take place indoors at the Reid Fieldhouse, with one confirmed location in Cold Lake North at Harbour View Senior Centre, and a second location pending.
Councillors also discussed how to accommodate residents in long-term care facilities.
Isert outlined challenges with institutional voting, which must happen on election day, but said special ballots used in 2021 during COVID could be a solution.
“We’ll certainly make sure that there's a way for each of the people in the community to vote if they want to.”
More changes may still be coming.
“As recently as June 5, we received correspondence from the province with some more changes to the election legislation,” Isert stated, adding that City staff are staying flexible.
