Voters in East Preston upset over lack of polling station

For the first time in years, Easton Preston will not have a polling station for the municipal election.

The station is normally set up at the East Preston Recreation Centre, however the city learned earlier this year that the room was booked on election day (Oct. 15) and had to find an alternative.

“We had to explore other options and the option that we came up with was the community centre in Lake Echo,” Adam Richardson, senior communications adviser with the Halifax Regional Municipality, said.

The Lake Echo Community Centre is about five kilometres away from the original polling station along Highway 7.

“It had been used for provincial and federal elections. We felt it was something that would work for the district,” Richardson said.

“Our goal is to have as many people vote as possible for certainly no decision is made in an attempt to inconvenience anyone when it comes to voting,” he said, adding he would encourage anyone who is concerned about getting to the polling station to consider e-voting and phone voting options.

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Spencer Colley said he’s lived in East Preston his entire life and has never had to leave the community to cast his vote.

“I was quite upset about it and the reason I was upset is because everybody doesn’t have a computer they can vote on online. We have a lot of elderly people in the area and a lot of them aren’t even going to get out and vote,” Colley said.

Colley said he wants the city to reinstate a polling station in the community, adding there are other nearby buildings in which it could be located.

“I think it’s only because it’s East Preston,” he said. “Some of the people that are making decisions for us, I think they have to start coming to the community and listening to what we have to say. We’ve been taking this too long.”

District 5 candidate Shelley Fashan said she is also disappointed with how the situation was handled.

“I think it’s a real barrier to the community,” she said. “The polling station has been here since – from what I’ve been told – 1880. The fact there’s no polling station for this election is really an obstruction to people exercising their democratic right to vote.”

“There are people here that don’t have cars, that would have to rely on bus transportation to get to Lake Echo – it runs every two hours,” Fashan added. “That’s really not acceptable.”

She said she thinks the city should have tried harder to find an alternative venue within the community.

“This is a historically marginalized community. It’s a black community. We’re vulnerable as it is in terms of our participation. Try to accommodate the people here, not try to just dismiss them,” Fashan said.

During the 2012 municipal election, only 13.5 per cent of all eligible voters cast a vote at the East Preston polling station. Fashan said the city should be doing things to improve these numbers, not make them worse.

She, along with fellow candidate and current District 2 councillor David Hendsbee, said they are offering to help get to the polls on election day.

“I believe the municipality is doing everything they can to encourage voting,” Hendsbee said. “I think opportunity to vote is there. I know citizens are trying to rally in regards to getting transportation arrangements made for some seniors and others to get to the polling stations, and I know candidates are offering that as well. So if anybody needs a drive, give me a call.”

“Hopefully the municipality will look at a broader view to encourage more voting and perhaps more polling stations would be a solution.”

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The two other area candidates, Sydnee L. McKay and Gail McQuarrie, weren’t available for an on-camera comment on Monday. However, they have both publicly expressed their disappointment and concern over the loss of the East Preston polling station.

The city has been working with the community and the East Preston United Baptist Church to help facilitate the voting process.

They will be holding an information session on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. to help voters ensure they are registered and able to access phone and e-voting.

The church is also hosting e-voting stations at the following times:

Tuesday, Oct. 11 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. (Ministry House)
Wednesday, Oct. 12 – 8 – 9 p.m. (Church)
Thursday, Oct. 13 – 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. (Ministry House)