JASON SETNYK
At its August 11 meeting, Cornwall City Council unanimously endorsed the use of internet and optical scan voting for the 2026 municipal election. The move aims to modernize the voting process, increase accessibility, and reverse a declining trend in voter turnout, which hit a historic low of 28.6% in 2022.
For the first time in over 50 years, excluding school board-only elections, the turnout fell below 38.8% which happened in 2018. Between 1974 and 2014, turnout consistently ranged between 41.19% and 54.4%, with the highest participation recorded in 1985. The 2022 figure stands out as a significant outlier in Cornwall’s electoral history.
City Clerk Denise Labelle-Gelinas said the City has issued an RFP in collaboration with SDG municipalities and is awaiting proposals from vendors offering secure and user-friendly voting platforms. “We are hoping to introduce internet voting into the electoral process for 2026,” she said. The system is expected to maintain strong integrity safeguards and align with provincial accessibility legislation.
Councillor Fred Ngoundjo emphasized that turnout is only one element of electoral integrity, stating, “The most important aspect of any election process is its integrity.” He raised concerns about cybersecurity and budget, but was reassured that safeguards are being evaluated and that funds have been gradually reserved over four years.
Councillor Sarah Good welcomed the initiative but stressed the need to revisit the number and location of physical polling stations. “We had a pretty significant drop in voter turnout… and we went from nine polling stations down to four,” she said. She suggested better communication and contingency plans for long lineups at popular sites like the Benson Centre.
Councillor Claude McIntosh raised concerns about identity verification in online voting. “I get a PIN number-who says that I’m the one using it?” he asked. He also worried about potential abuse by individuals voting on behalf of others. However, he acknowledged reports from SDG townships that online voting significantly boosted turnout.
Councillor Denis Sabourin sought clarity on whether the vendor would offer additional options to increase turnout. Labelle-Gelinas confirmed the scope is limited to internet and optical scanning methods. He also expressed concern over the mechanics of starting the voting process through one method and completing it with another, calling it “something missing.” The Clerk clarified that only completed votes would be accepted and recorded.
Councillor Dean Hollingsworth offered strong support for the initiative. “Any way we can increase voter turnout, we should pursue it. Period. End of discussion,” he said. He offered the opinion that mandatory voting might be worth considering. “Democracy doesn’t work if we don’t get people to vote.”
The endorsement allows the Clerk’s Office to move forward with finalizing vendors and integrating procedures into the City’s Policy and Procedure Manual. The 2026 municipal election is scheduled for October 26 of that year. Eligible voters will receive mailed instructions, including PINs for online voting and information on physical polling locations. Internet voting is expected to be available in advance of election day, allowing voters to cast their ballots at their convenience.
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