Sarnia City Council has adopted internet and telephone voting as the sole voting methods for the 2018 municipal election.
How long has internet and telephone voting been used in Ontario elections?
Internet and telephone voting was first used by the City of Markham in 2003. Since then, it has been adopted by 185 municipalities in Ontario.
Where will I be able to vote?
- Vote from home or anywhere with internet access using a smartphone, tablet or computer.
- Vote using a touchtone phone.
- Visit a Voter Help Centre for assistance. You will be able to vote at Voter Help Centres using a device or phone provided by the City or your own device.
If you do not receive or lose your Voter Information Letter, a Voter Help Centre will be able to provide you with a username and PIN.
City Hall will be open as a Voter Help Centre during the twelve-day voting period (October 11-22) during business hours and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The following Voter Help Centres will be open on the final day of voting, October 22, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.:
- City Hall
- Clearwater Arena
- St Patrick’s Catholic High School
- A Bright’s Grove Location – TBA
These locations are subject to change following a further review.
How will I know how to vote?
Each eligible voter on the voter’s list will receive a Voter Information Letter in the mail. The Voter Information Letter will contain a unique PIN and instructions for how to vote online or by telephone. There is no registration process—your Voter Information Letter will provide you a URL and phone number that you can use to vote directly.
You can check to see if you are on the voter’s list by visiting www.voterlookup.ca. The City Clerk will be able to add or remove your name for the voter’s list beginning in September.
Who will provide oversight over the process?
The Lambton County IT department has agreed to audit the process during throughout the voting period. The County of Lambton does not oversee municipal elections and is at arm’s length from the process.
What kinds of devices has the City invested in?
The City will provide a combination of tablets, laptops, and desktop computers at Voter Help Centres.
Who is hosting the election server and where is it located?
All data is managed externally by Bell Aliant on servers located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. No data is held at City Hall.
Will eligible voters be able to print a copy of how they voted?
The internet voting system will display a confirmation screen, but the final confirmation screen will not show how the person voted.
The Municipal Elections Act prohibits taking photographs or video recordings of marked ballots or showing marked ballots to any person to reveal how they have voted. The intent behind this law is to prevent coercion, such as a family member or employer asking to see proof of how someone voted.