Belleville Council has taken the next step in getting rid of paper ballots for the next municipal election.
At its meeting Monday, Councillors approved a staff report that will make online and telephone voting the primary methods for the 2022 election, although in-person voting will still happen, just at fewer polling stations.
Anyone voting in person will also cast their ballot electronically, with the help of polling station volunteers.
City staff say a public comment period yielded more than 530 responses on the issue, with many people saying they were on board with the idea.
A by-law has to be passed at the next council meeting to make it official.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk is also planning to introduce a notice of motion at the next meeting to study the city’s ward boundaries ahead of the 2022 vote as well.
