Student groups criticize loss of votes everywhere at polling stations

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Olivia Condon A view of the University of Calgary campus on March 11, 2020. Photo by Azin Ghaffari / Postmedia Article content

A group representing post-secondary student associations met outside city hall on Tuesday morning to urge Elections Calgary to reverse a decision they say dramatically reduces accessibility to voting across the city.

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At the end of June, Elections Calgary announced it would eliminate voting everywhere at advance polls that allowed Calgarians to vote at any station, regardless of their residence.

Marley Gillies, president of the Calgary Students Alliance (CSA), said the decision would remove stations from Calgary post-secondary institutions, severely limiting student voting.

Not voting everywhere at stations is a huge accessibility issue for students, she said. It’s kind of a daunting experience to go out and vote, especially in a complex election like the one coming up in the fall. . . . And students already have a fairly low voter turnout.

Elections Calgary said the decision was made due to potential safety concerns if the pandemic continues and public health restrictions persist until October.

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Gillies said the ASC had met with officials from Elections Calgary and urged them to reconsider their decision, adding that the organization would be happy to work with them on campus security measures with voting stations everywhere.

Our campuses are built to accommodate large numbers of people. And while it’s safe for students to return to class in the fall, it should be absolutely safe for them to return to the polls, Gillies said.

In a press release, Elections Calgary said it is connecting with unions and the post-secondary student administration to determine how best to engage student voters and faculty, and share voting and employment opportunities. available as election workers.

Councilors Evan Wooley and Druh Farrell offered their support to the CSA.

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Allowing citizens to vote anywhere encourages voting by making it easier for voters to exercise their democratic right. I encourage Elections Calgary to heed the advice of the Calgary Student Alliance, Wooley said.

Farrell echoed his statement: It’s more important than ever that the voices of young people are heard at the polls, young people are our future and the only way Calgary can thrive is to have new ideas. We need to make voting for young people easier and more accessible, not more difficult.

As this election year will see an increase in the number of polling stations, voting hours and the advance polling period, Gillies said cutting voting everywhere in the polls is hampering efforts to increase voter turnout.

It only helps people who are already considering voting, she said. Looked at the people who otherwise wouldn’t vote and wanted to support them. The model of elections and the manner of administering the ballot and voting should target those who otherwise would not vote.

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Twitter: @oliviacondon

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