Penticton council working to deal with election problems

PENTICTON – It wasn't smooth sailing during the Penticton election in November. There were too many candidates, signage problems and crowded polling stations, according to the city's corporate officer.

Dana Schmidt delivered a summary of the election to the newly elected city councillors this week, noting 31.4 per cent of eligible voters, and less than 10 per cent of those eligible under 30, cast a ballot this year. She said complaints about signage throughout the election period were “considerable.”

Staff recommended adding another day of advance voting after complaints about long line ups at the one voting place on election day.

“It’s a common sense decision for myself — I was out there and saw the reactions, the anger,” Coun. Tarik Sayeed said.

Council ultimately decided in favour of a second voting location and a third advance poll for the next election in four years.

A request by Coun. Judy Sentes to increase the number of nominators required per candidate resulted in a staff recommendation to increase the number from two to either ten or 25.

After much discussion, the councillors decided to raise the number of nominations required to ten in an effort to make sure the candidates were serious.

The councillors also asked staff to provide more information about election sign size and will discuss the issue at a meeting in February.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.