After opting for manual counting instead of electronic machines, Alberta municipalities are bracing for extended hours to finalize election results. The provincial legislation passed last year prohibited the use of electronic vote tabulators, a move that some cities argue will prolong the process, escalate expenses, and heighten the risk of spoiled ballots.
Calgary’s chief returning officer, Kate Martin, emphasized the preparations made with increased voting stations and election workers. While the mayoral results might be disclosed on election night, the outcomes of council and trustee races could be delayed.
Similar challenges are being faced in smaller communities like Okotoks, where chief returning officer Cathy Duplessis highlighted the shift from electronic tabulators after decades of use. In Cochrane, ballots will undergo double verification before the counting halts at midnight and resumes the following day.
In Airdrie, the adoption of the kangaroo method, a strategy facilitating quicker ballot counting, is expected to expedite the mayoral results but could delay council and trustee races’ outcomes. Red Deer is also employing this method, anticipating prolonged counting due to the multi-candidate ballots.
One repercussion of the manual tally process is the potential increase in spoiled ballots that may not be included in the final count. The absence of electronic tabulators to flag spoiled ballots poses a concern for accurate results, as noted by officials in Okotoks and Cochrane.
The manual counting shift has led to escalated expenses for municipalities, with Okotoks, Cochrane, and Red Deer reporting doubled costs primarily due to increased workforce requirements. Despite the financial burden, the province justifies the change, citing enhanced confidence in election results through manual counting.
While the province defends the manual counting for bolstering trust in election outcomes, some municipalities express hopes for a return to automated tabulators for future elections, citing efficiency and security as key factors.
