Mieka West and her family experienced a three-hour wait to cast their votes during Calgary’s municipal election on Monday. West, who voted at the Ward 9 Colonel Walker School polling station in Inglewood, described a lengthy line of around a hundred people. She expressed frustration at the unusually long wait, as her previous voting experiences had been much quicker.
Voters citywide encountered similar long queues and delays on Election Day, prompting questions about the atypical circumstances. In Ward 11, Chance Devlin shared that he intended to vote but left due to the lengthy line and regrets not returning, especially considering the tight margin in the mayoral race.
University of Calgary political science professor Lisa Young also faced delays of over an hour while voting, attributing the slowdown to new provincial regulations. These regulations, including completing voter attestation forms and hand-counting ballots, were implemented to enhance voter confidence, although Young questioned if these measures were necessary.
Despite suggestions that more polling stations or workers could have alleviated the situation, Young acknowledged the labor-intensive nature of the process and the associated costs. Young anticipates that the recent election challenges may prompt a reevaluation of the new regulations and processes by the province.
Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams emphasized that municipalities are responsible for election operations and were aware of the new regulations well in advance. The decision to ban electronic vote tabulators aimed to address concerns about election result credibility, prioritizing hand-counted ballots for enhanced confidence.
Following reports of misinformation at polling stations, some voters encountered issues such as missing school trustee ballots or receiving ballots for the wrong ward. Instances like Brian Popp’s experience at Platform Calgary highlighted discrepancies in ballot availability, underscoring the importance of ensuring accurate and accessible voting processes for all citizens.
As the fallout from the election continues to unfold, stakeholders like Alberta Municipalities are seeking feedback to assess the overall impact of the voting challenges across the province. Despite efforts to enhance voter confidence, concerns persist regarding the effectiveness and implications of the recent electoral changes on the democratic process.