Municipal officials are now gearing up for this fall’s civic and school board elections, making appointments and policy changes before the Oct. 20 vote.
Last night (Monday), Coquitlam city council gave three readings to its council and election procedure bylaws to change language for the way ballots are marked.
Chief election officer Lauren Hewson told The Tri-City News the company the city leases its vote tabulators from discontinued the “connect the arrow” for voting; instead, voters will check a box to make their mark for a candidate.
As well, because the fall election is now a month earlier, the inaugural meeting for the new council will fall on the first Monday of November rather than December.
Hewson, who was appointed chief election officer earlier this year, will oversee the election with deputy Sean O’Melinn, the city’s legislative services manager.
Last week, Port Coquitlam council named Carolyn Deakin as its chief election officer and Sharlie Eicker as deputy for the local government and board of education race.
It also authorized daily pay rates for election staff at polling stations, keeping the remuneration the same as in 2011 and largely matching Coquitlam and Port Moody’s wages:
• presiding election officials: $350
• alternate presiding official: $300
• registration clerk: $250
• poll clerk: $250
• election official/floater: $200 ($250 in Coquitlam and PoMo).
And new for this year, PoCo will compensate election workers $25 to attend a mandatory training session; in PoMo, the payment is $35.
Port Moody has yet to officially appoint its chief and deputy election officers.
