Whether the citizens of Fort Frances choose Todd Hamilton or Ken Perry to fill the vacant seat on town council will be decided tonight after the ballots are counted once the polls close at 8 p.m.
A total of 2,541 ballots had come in as of the end of the day Saturday, returning officer Glenn Treftlin reported this morning.
With a total of 5,993 eligible voters in Fort Frances, voter turnout for the byelection so far is at 42 percent. The turnout in the last couple of municipal elections has been in the 50-55 percent range.
Treftlin said those who plan on voting, but haven’t already done so yet, have until 8 p.m. tonight to bring them to the Civic Centre.
He anticipated a rush of ballots to come in today.
“The last regular election, and pretty much all previous elections, the last voting day was one of the busiest days,” noted Treftlin. “But you never know.”
The ballots will be counted after the polls close. Treftlin said he has a total of 11 counting stations in place, and is anticipating the results won’t take long to add up.
“Based on the number of returns we’ve got in, it doesn’t look like it is going to be as busy or as good a turnout as a normal election.
“And that doesn’t surprise me at all as you haven’t got as many offices or candidates on the ballots,” Treftlin remarked.
The public is welcome to drop by the Civic Centre after 8 p.m., where Information and Technology manager Darryl Allan will be providing byelection updates as they’re made available.
The event also will be broadcast live on Shaw (Channel 10).
Hamilton, a former councillor, and Perry, who was the first runner-up in last November’s municipal election, are vying for the seat that came open when Coun. Tannis Drysdale resigned back in September.
Mayor Roy Avis said Friday that whoever is elected tonight would be sworn in at tomorrow night’s regular council meeting.
The term of office is the remainder of the four-year term of the current council, which ends Nov. 30, 2010.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
