Thursday, July 09, 2009

Vote counting machines get a nay


The Great Vote count debate seems to have had a sealed fate!

A change in the council line up on Monday and an apparent second thought for one councillor, combined to reshape the debate over the much discussed trial balloon of adopting vote counting machinery for the next municipal election, as the initiative went down to defeat at this weeks council meeting.

With Mayor Jack Mussallem not in attendance, and Kathy Bedard back in chambers after her absence last week, the scene was set for the planned implementation of vote counting machines to be turned back. While the initiative made it through a first reading two weeks ago, this time around the votes were in the negative, as Councillor Gina Garon switched her vote from last week, joining councillors Bedard, Thorkelson and Kinney in voting against the plan.

Only Councillors Ashley and Gordon-Payne stayed the course to a change to electronic vote counting, but with a 4-2 majority the motion to move forward would not have the necessary support and it would seem that Prince Rupert will continue to rely on the old tried and true hand count methods for the forseeable future.



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