The Town of Strathmore will be removing electronic voting equipment for upcoming elections.
An updated Municipal Election Bylaw was presented to Strathmore Town Council on Wednesday (Dec. 11). The changes in the bylaw were updated to align with the Local Authorities Election Act and Municipal Government Act, as required by the province.
The update outlined key changes to the Local Authorities Election Act, including allowing union and corporate donations to local candidates, allowing donations outside the local election year, and prohibiting all automated voting equipment, such as electronic tabulators.
According to legislative services manager Johnathan Strathdee, a version of the bylaw was presented to council in September but has been slightly updated following talks with the provincial government.
Other changes include limiting the amount of money third-party advertisers could accept in contributions. The previous limit was $30,000 and has been reduced to $5,000. There will also be updated rules for scrutineers and requirements for local candidates to take a criminal record check.
The provincial government banned electronic vote tabulators through Bill 20, which was passed earlier this year in May. The change was met with criticism from Alberta Municipalities.
The next municipal general election will be held on October 20, 2025, with nominations open between January 1 and September 22.
The updated Municipal Election Bylaw was passed by council.