London City Hall (credit: XFM News).
City councilors voted 14-1 on Tuesday on a motion that would push back against the province’s plan to end ranked ballot voting in Ontario.
Last Tuesday, the province introduced a bill that would see all municipalities in Ontario use first past the post for civic elections. The Ford government said the move was made in an effort to keep municipal elections consistent across the province. The proposition was tacked on at the end of a piece of legislation designed to help with COVID-19 relief.
Councilors who oppose the bill say it impedes on municipal jurisdiction.
The motion passed by city councilors Tuesday outlines the following:
- London’s opposition to the province’s move
- Each municipality should choose which voting system they use
- That the province should consult with municipalities before introducing legislative changes “of this magnitude.”
- A call on Mayor Ed Holder to ask that London be exempt from the legislation if it passes
- A call on city staff to report back on the costs of London switching back to first-past-the-post for the 2022 election
At last night’s meeting, Deputy Mayor Jesse Helmer said that the $500,000 it cost to implement ranked ballot voting in the previous civic election was much less per eligible voter compared to the provincial election.
“It seems to me to be very wasteful in throwing away the investment in making the change after just one election. Doubly so if we’re forced to do it by another level of government,” Helmer said at the meeting.
Ranked ballot voting allowed voters to rank their choices by preference, which in the case of London’s most recent municipal election, helped create a more diverse pool of candidates and winners. London’s first black female councilor, Arielle Kayabaga credits the ranked ballot system as part of what helped her clinch a seat on the council.
“Regardless of whether you support ranked ballots or not, local decision-making matters,” said Ward 2 Councilor Shawn Lewis.
Ward 6 Councilor Phil Squire was the lone opponent to the motion.
City councilors said the motion was an urgent matter, since the province is expected to pass the legislation at its next corporate service committee meeting.
Comments