REGINA – The equipment used to count your vote in Regina’s municipal election this fall will be upgraded.
Regina’s executive committee approved a nearly $155,000 spending increase at its meeting Wednesday, which will also cover software used to manage the election.
“Because (the technology) changes so quickly, we’ve decided to go with renting,” said Erna Hall, the deputy city clerk. “In four years, it’d be outdated again. What we had four years ago, we couldn’t update and change the ballots as much as we need to.”
Election operations will cost $359,454 more than 2012; half of that will be covered by school boards.
Voter turnout increased for 2012, but was still just 33 per cent. The increased funding will include improved communications to get the word out.
Saskatchewan’s municipal elections, scheduled for October 26 this year, will follow provincial and federal campaigns over the last 12 months.
“I can only hope, because people have done it a couple times already, they’re in the habit and, ‘We’re going to go vote again,’ ” Hall said.
The committee also accepted the recommendation to once again not require candidates to submit criminal record checks.
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