Running for office: nomination packages and candidate info is now available ahead of the municipal election Nov. 9. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

prepping for voting day

P.A. sets civic election process into gear

Jul 23, 2020 | 8:00 AM

Drive-thru voting, extensive social distancing and health measures, and extra staffing: those are some of the elements that will surround this year’s civic elections amid the COVID-19 situation.

The City of Prince Albert is gearing up for the vote in 16 weeks from now on Nov. 9.

Returning officer for the mayoral, council and school trustees vote, Sherry Person, told paNOW the efforts are aimed at ensuring everyone’s safety as citizens perform their civic duty.

“We want voters and potential workers to be aware that the polls and voting will be safe for the Nov. 9 municipal election,” she said.

When they vote, electors will notice floor markings, signs and staff with face masks as we’ve all become accustomed to at other places the last four months. But Person added there will be some other elements.

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“We’ll be requesting some bylaw amendments [from city council] to allow for better use of the mail-in ballot option, plus for advance polls we’ll be looking at drive-thru voting at the exhibition grounds,” she said, noting they’re also looking at single use for the ballots where the voter is given a pen on arrival and leaves with it.

Also, she said there may be a need for more staffing than usual.

“I think, due to COVID, we may be hiring additional staff to help with the sanitization and those sorts of things at the polls, so the number could be upwards of 100 [people],” she said.

The election jobs vary and pay from $14 to $19 an hour and Person said anyone interested could apply via the online site.

As for those citizens hoping to take a run being mayor, a councillor or school trustee, Person said nomination applications and candidate info is now available.

One of the main things potential candidates need to know is the nomination window which opens Sept. 21 and closes Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.

Person said among the most common enquiries and issues she deals with around the civic election are signage and advertising.

All the rules, information, key dates and everything else about the civic election process can be found on the website: pavotes.ca

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow