The province has given the go ahead to allow communities to change the way local elections are run, but City of Belleville staff are recommending that council stay with the current “first past the post” system for at least the next election.
The province will allow municipalities to run elections with a “ranked ballot” system instead of “first past the post”, but staff recommend council wait until after the 2018 local elections to learn how the “ranked ballot” system worked in the communities that do make the switch.
Staff worry that the changing systems will cost at least 100 thousand dollars more and that there won’t be enough time to consult with the public to create a widespread understanding of how “ranked ballot” voting works, and why it might be better than “first past the post”.
There are also concerns about whether the city’s current election technology could handle a new system.
Belleville council meets today at 4 o’clock at city hall.
