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Reports
Election Report in Accordance with s.12(3) of the MEA
Purpose
To prepare a plan that will identify and eliminate barriers for persons with disabilities in order to ensure that election services are accessible to all electors and candidates.
Preamble
The Municipal Elections Act states that the clerk who is responsible for conducting an election shall have regard to the needs of electors and candidates with disabilities. The Clerk is also required to prepare a plan regarding the identification, removal and prevention of barriers that affect electors and candidates with disabilities and shall make the plan available to the public before voting day in a regular election. These provisions are also contained in the Town of Erin election procedures manual.
Plan Objectives
To ensure that:
(1) persons with disabilities are able to independently cast their vote.
(2) persons with disabilities have full and equal access to all election information that is made publicly available by the Town.
(3) persons with disabilities have full and equal access to Town facilities made available to the public for the purpose of conducting the election.
Plan
The Town of Erin uses mail in ballot and central scanning tabulators as an alternate voting method for municipal and school board elections. Electors have the option of returning the Voting kits by mail or may also drop off the Return Voting Envelopes at the Town municipal office, 5684 Trafalgar Rd. Hillsburgh, ON during regular office hours up until 8:00 p.m. on voting day.
The Town's vote by mail system provides voters with the capability to vote from the comfort of their own home. Voting from home facilitates the voting process for persons with disabilities through the use of assistive devices set up in their homes. This process allows for an increase in the capability for the voter to vote without any assistance.
Elections conducted with alternate voting methods do not require electors to attend at a voting place in order to vote. The municipal office has been identified as a Ballot Return Station to provide assistance and clarification on the election process. For these purposes election information shall always be provided in an accessible font and format; alternate formats may be available at the request of any individual (citizen, candidate, elections staff etc.).
The Town shall ensure that an election assistant with accessible customer service training is available to assist electors with accessibility concerns if requested. If deemed necessary by the Town Clerk, this can include home visits for the purposes of providing assistance.
All areas of the municipal office used for election related purposes on voting day shall be made accessible and staff will conduct accessibility checks as deemed necessary up until voting day.