Regional council to use e-voting

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

The method in which regional representatives cast their votes on major issues in council chambers will be a little different a few months from now.

Starting in September, council will use an electronic voting system when a recorded vote is requested on a motion.

Votes will display as they are cast during a pre-set time limit that the regional chair can adjust over time.

The time limit has yet to be set, although a staff report suggested 30 seconds could be appropriate.

Whatever the time limit ultimately is, councillors will be able to change their vote at any moment during that period.

Electronic votes will be cast until the regional chair calls for a close to voting, and the clerk manually stops the system.

Regional staff was first directed to investigate the possibility of e-voting in December 2016.

An original report came in February 2017, but staff were asked to provide further clarification and recommendations.

Training of staff and testing of the system has already begun and is expected to continue through the summer.

The plan would see regional councillors each provided with a voting key card.

These cards must be inserted into a slot located on the councillors’ microphone panel in order for them to be able to take part in the vote.

An absent from vote designation will occur if the card is not inserted.

A staff report notes that implementation of e-voting does not mean every vote made by council will require the system.

Staff are also investigating a “request to speak” function as part of the system.

According to a June 6 staff report, there is a “rudimentary” function tied to the e-voting plan, where councillors may use a button on their panel to add their names to a queue of speakers.

But, staff note an effective system would need to be much more complex.

The budget for the e-voting system is $16,000.