Monday, February 8, 2010

Chatsworth Looks at Mail In Ballots

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Chatsworth
by Diana Meder    

Chatsworth continues to look into overhauling its municipal voting system.

The latest change to be considered is mail-in ballots.

Mayor Howard Greig says a number of Grey County municipalities already use the system including Georgian Bluffs and Meaford.

He says those communities, in some cases, have seen more than double the number of votes cast. 

The only concern they may have is keeping up with inaccurate voters lists which can sometimes be as high as 20 per cent.

Meanwhile the appeal process for the other change in municipal voting is drawing near. 

Chatsworth is hoping to implement a system whereby the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are voted at-large while three councillors are elected by ward.

The appeal process to object to the new system is Friday.

Greig says so far, they've had no appeals and if they don't get any -- the at large system will be a done deal in time for the fall election.