Report dated May 12, 2026 from the Corporate Officer re: Amendment to Automated Vote Counting System Authorization and Procedure Bylaw

AMENDMENT TO AUTOMATED VOTE COUNTING SYSTEM AUTHORIZATION AND PROCEDURE BYLAW

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report dated May 12, 2026 from the Corporate Officer titled “Amendment to Automated Vote Counting System Authorization and Procedure Bylaw” be received.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for an amendment to the Town’s Automated Vote Counting System Authorization and Procedure Bylaw to revise the definition of “Acceptable mark.” The amendment is intended to clarify that a clearly completed mark, rather than a specifically prescribed shape, may be accepted by the vote tabulating unit during ballot processing.

BACKGROUND:

The Town adopted the Automated Vote Counting System and Authorization and Procedure Bylaw in 2002. At that time, the Town’s vote tabulating equipment used ballots with oval-shaped voting targets.

Since the adoption of the bylaw, the Town has implemented new vote tabulating equipment that no longer recognizes oval-shaped voting targets. As a result, the current definition of “acceptable mark” is no longer compatible with the Town’s voting equipment and is unnecessarily restrictive.

The current definition for “acceptable mark” is as follows:

“Acceptable mark means a completed oval which the vote tabulating unit is able to identify, which has been made by an elector in the space provided on the ballot opposite the name of any candidate or opposite either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on any other voting question.”

The proposed bylaw amendment (Attachment “A”) removes the specific reference to a shape of the voting target and instead refers more broadly to a “clearly completed mark.” This amendment avoids overly prescriptive language and provides flexibility for future ballot design changes and technological updates without requiring further bylaw amendments.

Staff recommend that Council give first, second and third readings of the amendment bylaw.

ANALYSIS:

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

Category	Details
Community Impact:	None. The amendment updates the bylaw language to reflect the functionality of the Town’s current vote tabulating equipment.
Financial Implication:	N/A
Inter-governmental Relations Impact:	N/A

ALIGNMENT:

The recommended option aligns with the Town’s following core guiding documents as follows:

Document	Alignment
Strategic Plan:	Supports good governance through effective election administration by ensuring the Town’s election-related bylaws and procedures remain current, practical, and adaptable to evolving technology.
Official Community Plan:	N/A
Other Policy Documents:	N/A

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

The desired level of public participation for the recommended option is:

☐ Inform
☐ Consult
☐ Involve
☐ Collaborate
☐ Empower
☒ N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

Election-related bylaws are required to be adopted by July 6 in advance of the next local government scheduled for October 17, 2026. Approval of the proposed amendment within the required timeframe will ensure the Town’s Automated Vote Counting System Authorization and Procedure Bylaw accurately reflects the functionality of the Town’s current vote tabulating equipment.

CONCURRENCE:

CONCURRENCE:	Initials	Comments
Chief Administrative Officer	SS	I concur with the recommendation.

REVIEWED BY:

REVIEWED BY:	Initials
Director of Corporate Administration	EB
Director of Finance	n/a
Director of Development Services	n/a
Director of Engineering	n/a
Director of Protective Services	n/a

ATTACHMENTS:

A) Automated Vote Counting System Authorization and Procedure Bylaw No. 480, 2002, Amendment Bylaw No. 1171, 2026