Lac La Ronge Indian Band holding 2020 election online until May 25

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreaks in northern Saskatchewan, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s 2020 general election is moving online.

Band members can cast their ballot online from now until midnight May 25. Find a link to the band’s website explaining more here.

“You just go online, you give them your name, all your stuff and they’ll email you back,” explained the band’s electoral officer, Milton Burns.

“They’ll give you a PIN, and you’re the only one who has that PIN, so you’ll be able to vote.”

It should only take a few minutes to vote, Burns said. He’s encouraging members to vote online if possible ahead of May 25.

“It’s really secure and I really advise everybody: if you’re going to have an election, use electronic voting,” he said.

The online election is being run by OneFeather, a Vancouver-based company that ran a land code vote for the band in 2019.

People can also go in person to polling stations from now until May 25 to vote “online” with computers available there. Those stations will be manned between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

If someone can’t vote online, polling stations will also be open. Two stations, in Lac La Ronge and Stanley Mission, will be open May 25 and 26.

The following polling stations will only be open May 26: Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Pinehouse, Little Red River reserve, Grandmother’s Bay reserve, Morin Lake reserve, Sucker River reserve and Brabant Lake.

Burns said polling stations will practice physical distancing and only allow 10 people in at a time to follow public health orders. Staff will have gloves and masks and there will be people cleaning the facility.

There will also be security on site to ensure people follow these rules.

The two polling stations open on May 25 will be open 12 to 7 p.m., while all stations on May 26 will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.