Check voters’ list before end of week: Treftlin

With Todd Hamilton and Ken Perry confirmed as the two candidates running in the Jan. 14 byelection for town council, the electorate now is being asked to do its part and check the voters’ list so they’ll be able to receive their mail-in ballots with no problems.
“The key thing right now is to make sure they’re on the voters’ list,” town clerk and returning officer Glenn Treftlin said Monday, adding all electors are encouraged to ensure their information on record with the town is accurate as to name, qualifying address, mailing address, etc. before noon this Friday (Dec. 7).
They are encouraged to visit the Civic Centre, Fort Frances Public Library, or Memorial Sports Centre to look up their voter information, and, if changes are necessary, contact the town as soon as possible.
“If they detect anything from checking the list and they need to make a change, there are blank forms there available for them to use,” noted Treftlin.
“But if they need any assistance, or information with respect to how to go about doing that, they should be calling us at the town hall,” he added.
Inquiries can be directed to Treftlin or assistant returning officer Lori Pattison at 274-5373.
Voters also can check to see if they are included on the list by visiting the town’s website at www.fort-frances.com
If they need to make changes, voters even can e-mail the town with their correct information, noted Treftlin.
“The key thing right now is to try and do this, especially if you’re one of the ‘snowbirds,’ and you’re going to be leaving town and not getting your mail at the time when the [voting] kits start coming out.
“We want them to get in there and know where their new mailing address will be,” he stressed.
Treftlin added voters also can check to see if they’re on the list more than once. Voters are entitled to be on the list once only.
Mail-in ballots will be used for the byelection. A voter kit will be mailed to each elector during the week of Dec. 18 using information on record.
“So by Dec. 7, we’re hoping to get this information into the supplier of the kits [Datafix], and have all those changes on hand and in the system so the kits will go directly to wherever they are in the world.
“It will certainly save some time and give them a better opportunity to get their response back to the town hall by voting day,” said Treftlin, adding that if someone hasn’t gotten their voting kit within a week of Dec. 18, they should contact the town.
Once voters receive their voting kits in the mail, Treftlin said they can fill out and mail in their ballots any time prior to Jan. 14. If they choose to return them in person, a ballot return box will be at the information desk at the Civc Centre.
When filling out their voting kits, Treftlin stressed voters should follow the instructions that come along with them “to the letter,” so there are no mistakes when voting (like putting a ballot inside the returning envelope before putting it in a secrecy envelope).
“The kits have been revised because of some of the difficulties that we had the last time. They’ve made some changes to them,” he said, adding he’s hoping to post a sample of what the voting kit will look like on the town’s website.
This sample will be a generic one and not necessarily reflect the details of the upcoming byelection (such as the date), noted Treftlin, adding “for the most part, the format will be the same.”
On election day, voters will have until 8 p.m. to vote. If he can get as many volunteers as he’d like, Treftlin will have 10 teams of two people tabulating the ballots that night, with preliminary election results ready within a couple of hours of the poll closing.
Treftlin said the byelection is expected to cost about $14,000-$15,000. It costs about $9,000 to have the voting kits printed and mailed out, then another $3,000 or so in return postage—based on the number of electors on the list.
Treftlin also will have two workers dedicated to filing returned envelopes for two weeks leading up to the election.
They will keep track of return envelopes—but not open the envelopes or tabulate results—in anticipation of Jan. 14. They will cost about $2,000.