Report to: General Committee                                        Date Report Authored: March 5, 2010

 

 

SUBJECT:                          Administrative Matters - 2010 Municipal Election

PREPARED BY:               Andrew Brouwer, Deputy Clerk, Ext. 8220

                                            Kimberley Kitteringham, Town Clerk & Returning Officer,                        Ext. 4729

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

1.      That the Report entitled “Administrative Matters - 2010 Municipal Election” be received; and,

 

2.      That a by-law be adopted to establish the 2010 early voting dates, times and locations within the Town outlined in Attachment “A”; and,

 

3.      That a by-law be adopted to establish special voting hours for institutions and retirement homes in the form attached hereto as Attachment “B”, and

 

4.      That a by-law be adopted to provide for election-related information to be made available in languages other than English and French as outlined in Attachment “C”; and further,

 

5.      That staff be authorized to give effect to this resolution.

 

 

PURPOSE:

 

The purpose of this Report is to seek Council’s authorization for the proposed early (advanced) and special voting opportunities for the 2010 Municipal Election and to allow for election related information to be made available in languages other than English and French for municipal elections and by-elections.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Early Voting Opportunities

 

Section 43 (1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (MEA) requires municipalities to pass a by-law authorizing one or more early voting days.

 

There are no statutory restrictions on early voting participation.  For instance, a voter does not need to prove that he or she will be absent from Markham on Voting Day.  As in 2006, eligible voters will be encouraged to take advantage of early voting opportunities as part of the comprehensive 2010 Municipal Election Communication Plan currently being prepared by staff.

 

 

 

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

 

In-Person Early Voting Locations and Hours – 2006 Election

 

For the 2006 Municipal Election, early voting was made available on Saturday, November 4, 2006 and Sunday, November 5, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the following locations:

 

Applicable Ward(s):

Early Voting Location:

1 and 2

Thornhill Community Centre

3 and 6

Civic Centre

4 and 5

Markham Museum Reception Centre

7

Parkland Public School

8

Milliken Mills Community Centre

 

Voters were required to attend the early voting location corresponding with their Ward on November 4 and 5, 2006.  Early voting was also made available from Monday, November 6 to Thursday, November 9, 2006 between the hours of 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. for all Wards at the Civic Centre.

 

Proposed In-Person Early Voting Locations and Hours for the 2010 Municipal Election

 

Staff have reviewed the early voting locations used in 2006 and current requirements relative to population, facility availability and access for persons with disabilities.  The following locations are recommended for Saturday, October 16, 2010 and Sunday, October 17, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day:

 

Applicable Ward(s):

Early Voting Location:

All

Thornhill Community Centre

All

Varley Art Gallery

All

Markham Train Station

All

Angus Glen Community Centre

All

Parkland Public School

All

Milliken Mills Community Centre

 

To allow for greater flexibility and accessibility to the voting process, a “vote anywhere” scenario is planned for early voting opportunities on October 16 and 17, 2010.  This will be attractive and convenient to voters who happen to be visiting or be in the vicinity of an early voting location that is outside of the Ward in which they live.

 

Automated vote counting equipment vendors offer equipment which can print any ballot type “on demand”.  The Town plans to take advantage of this option, facilitating the ability to offer a “vote anywhere” option.

 

In addition, it is recommended that early voting be made available from Monday, October 18 through Thursday, October 21, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. each day for all Wards at the Civic Centre and Armadale Community Centre.  Armadale Community Centre is recommended due to high levels of voter turnout in recent elections and population growth since 2006.

Special Voting Locations and Hours – 2010 Municipal Election

 

Section 45 (7) of the MEA requires that a voting place be established in long term care facilities with 20 or more beds and in retirement homes with 50 or more beds on Voting Day.  Further, Council may pass a by-law under Section 46 (3) of the MEA providing for reduced voting hours in long term care retirement facilities.  These provisions do not apply to seniors’ apartments and retirement “communities”.

 

As in previous elections, staff will work with the Administrators of long term care and retirement facilities to ensure all residents that are eligible have the opportunity to vote. These locations will not have vote tabulating equipment because of the low numbers of eligible voters and to allow the election staff to go room to room, if necessary, to assist the electors in casting their vote. Once the voting has been completed, election staff will proceed to the Civic Centre for the insertion and tabulation of the votes.

 

Staff have confirmed with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and the Central Local Health Integration Network that no additional long term care and retirement facilities have been opened since the 2006 Municipal Election.  Staff is recommending the following special voting locations and hours for the 2010 Election on Voting Day, October 25, 2010:

 

Special Voting Location:

Hours:

St. Luke’s Lodge

49 Green Lane

Thornhill, ON L3T 7M9

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Union Villa

4300 Highway 7

Markham, ON L3R 1L8

3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sunrise Assisted Care

38 Swansea Road

Markham, ON L3R 5K2

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Bethany Lodge

23 Second Street South

Markham, ON L3R 2C2

3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Rouge Valley Retirement Residence

5958 16th Avenue

Markham, ON L3P 3J3

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Markhaven

54 Parkway Avenue

Markham, ON L3P 2G4

3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Woodhaven

380 Church Street

Markham, ON L6B 1E1

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Amica at Swan Lake

6360 16th Avenue

Markham, ON L3P 7Y6

3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

 

 

Communications in Languages other than English and French

 

-         Section 9 of the MEA requires that a by-law be passed to provide information to voters in languages other than English[1].  The 2006 Census (total population 260,755) indicated the following languages were spoken regularly at home by at least 1,200 residents: [2]:  There were 735 individuals who spoke French regularly at home.

:

-         Italian – 1,465

-         Russian – 1,510

-         Tagalog – 1,820

-         Korean – 2,315

-         Gujarati – 2,495

-         Panjabi (Punjabi) – 3,450

-         Urdu – 3,555

-         Mardarin – 4,330

-         Tamil – 9,240

-         Cantonese – 36,980

-         English – 145,495

 

Given the potential for barriers to participation and the scale and scope of the election, it is staff’s desire to provide voter participation-related information in those languages most widely represented in Markham to the extent possible and for the purposes of the election only.  Where information is not specifically produced for a language group, staff will intervene and provide assistance to voters as required though the language line currently provided for residents through the Contact Centre.

 

Given the numerous statutory forms and documents required to be completed in English and French only, candidate registration information will continue to be provided in English and French only.

 

The proposed by-law is worded broadly to apply to any election or referendum event and allows the Clerk the discretion to determine language groups and the scope of the information provided.  Similar by-laws have been passed by the cities of Toronto and Brampton and it is anticipated that similar by-laws will be passed in other Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE:

Funding is available in the 2010 Election reserve account to accommodate rental, advertising and related fees associated with regular early voting places.  This account will also accommodate official translation of information.  There are no fees applicable to special voting places.

 

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS

Not applicable.

 

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

Not applicable.

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Not applicable.

 

 

 

 

Attachment “A” – A By-law to provide for advance voting to be held prior to Voting Day

Attachment “B” – A By-law establishing reduced hours of voting for institutions and retirement homes for the 2010 Municipal Election

Attachment “C” – A By-law authorizing the provision of election information in languages other than English and French

Attachment “A”

 

BY-LAW 2010-XXX

 

A By-law to provide for early (advance) voting to be held prior to Voting Day for the 2010 Municipal Election

 

 

 

WHEREAS section 43(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 provides that a municipal council shall enact a by-law to establish one or more dates for an advance vote, and the hours during which voting places shall be open on that date or dates;

 

NOW THEREFORE, THE Council of the Corporation of the Town of Markham enacts as follows:

 

1.     An advance vote shall be held on Saturday, October 16, 2010 and Sunday, October 17, 2010 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the following locations:

 

      Thornhill Community Centre

      Varley Art Gallery

      Markham Train Station

      Angus Glen Community Centre

      Parkland Public School

      Milliken Mills Community Centre

 

2.     An advance vote shall be held on Monday, October 18, 2010 through Thursday, October 21, 2010 between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:

 

       Town Civic Centre, 101 Town Centre Blvd.

       Armadale Community Centre, 2401 Denison Street           

 

 

 

READ A FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD TIME AND PASSED THIS

XXTH DAY OF MARCH, 2010.

 

 

 

 

________________________________              _____________________________

KIMBERLEY KITTERINGHAM                         FRANK SCARPITTI

TOWN CLERK                                                    MAYOR

 

 

 

Attachment “B”

 

 

BY-LAW 2010-XXX

 

A by-law to provide for reduced hours of voting

for institutions and retirement homes for the 2010 Municipal Elections

 

WHEREAS section 46(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 provides that voting places shall be open on voting day between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

 

AND WHEREAS SECTION 46(3) OF THE AFORESAID Act provides that a municipal council may enact a by-law with respect to reduced voting hours in voting places in retirement homes or those institutions as defined in 45(7) of the said Act, where the voting place is only for the use of the residents;

 

NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Markham enacts as follows:

 

The following locations shall be open for voting at reduced hours for those qualified electors residing therein:

 

St. Luke’s Lodge                                  10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.   

49 Green Lane

Thornhill, ON L3T 7M9

 

Union Villa                                             3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

4300 Highway 7

Markham, ON L3R 1L8

 

Sunrise Assisted Care                           10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

38 Swansea Road,

Markham, ON L3R 5K2

 

Bethany Lodge                                       3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

23 Second Street South

Markham, ON L3R 2C2

 

Rouge Valley Retirement                       10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Residence

5958 16th Avenue

Markham, ON L3P 3J3

 

Markhaven                                             3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

54 Parkway Avenue

Markham, ON L3P 2G4

 

 

 

The Woodhaven                                   10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

380 Church Street

Markham, ON L6B 1E1

           

            Amica at Swan Lake                              3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  

            6360 16th Avenue

            Markham, ON L3P 7Y6

 

 

READ A FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD TIME AND PASSED THIS

XXTH DAY OF MARCH, 2010.

 

 

 

_______________________________          ______________________________

KIMBERLEY KITTERINGHAM                   FRANK SCARPITTI

TOWN CLERK                                              MAYOR

Attachment “C”

 

 

BY-LAW 2010-XXX

 

A by-law authorizing the provision of election information in languages other than English and French

 

WHEREAS Subsection 9.1 (3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 provides that a municipal council may pass a by-law allowing the use of languages other than English and French in notices, forms (other than prescribed forms) and other information related to an election, by-election or referendum.

 

AND WHEREAS the Town of Markham is represented by many diverse cultures and language groups;

 

AND WHEREAS the Clerk/Returning Officer has an obligation to engage voters in the electoral process by providing relevant and comprehendible information.

 

NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Markham enacts as follows:

 

1.      Election, by-election and referendum information may be made available in languages other than English and French at the discretion of the Clerk.

 

 

 

READ A FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD TIME AND PASSED THIS

XXTH DAY OF MARCH, 2010.

 

 

 

_______________________________          ______________________________

KIMBERLEY KITTERINGHAM                   FRANK SCARPITTI

TOWN CLERK                                              MAYOR

 


[1]               Election information shall be provided in English unless such information pertains to the election     of a French school board candidate, in which case the information must also be provided in            French as required by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

[2]               Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census