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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-15-006 - 2014 Election Debrief Staff Report rTC.�r R finance and Corporate Services Department www.kitchener.ca REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: March 30, 2015 SUBMITTED BY: C. Tarling, Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk, 519-741- 2200, ext. 7809 PREPARED BY: C. Tarling, Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk, 519-741- 2200, ext. 7809 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: March 18, 2015 REPORT NO.: FCS-15-006 SUBJECT: 2014 Election Debrief RECOMMENDATION: THAT city staff be directed to participate in upcoming advocacy initiatives and consultations at the Province of Ontario level with respect the Municipal Elections Act and in particular those relating to potential improvements to municipal Voters' Lists. BACKGROUND: The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an overview of the Kitchener Municipal and School Board Election held on October 27, 2014. The report is grouped by the key themes of: • Voters' List; • Voter Notification Cards; • Voting Locations; • Voting Process; • Election Workers and Training; • Communication; • Governance and Staffing; and • Internal Partnerships. It provides information on new initiatives undertaken for the 2014 election as well as challenges experienced, what worked well, and 52 areas to be investigated for the 2018 municipal election (as summarized in Appendix "A"). While the election is a statutory function over which Council does not exercise decision making authority, this report serves as a transparent public assessment of the 2014 election process. ***This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 1 Taking advantage of different technologies, the City offered several dates, times and locations of voting to provide electors in Kitchener with various opportunities to vote as follows: Date Hours Location Advance Voting Wed. October 15 to 2pm to 8pm 4 community centres (Vote anywhere) Fri. October 17, 2014 City Hall Advance Voting Sat. October 18, 2014 9am to 3pm 4 community centres Vote anywhere) City Hall Election Day Mon. Oct. 27, 2014 10am to 8pm 74 voting locations spread over 10 wards The following are some summary statistics concerning the election: • Over 147,000 eligible electors in Kitchener on the Voters' List; • Over 47,000 eligible electors facilitated in voting; • 5 advance poll locations offered from October 15 to 18, 2014; • 74 voting locations available on Election Day; • 16 institutions facilitated on Election Day; • 2200 voters per voting location on average; • 80 candidates; • 30% voter turnout (3% higher than in 2010 and on par with the 50-year average); • 18 months spent preparing for the election; and • Over 450 elections workers trained and deployed to facilitate voters at the voting locations. REPORT: The Election Steering Committee (the Steering Committee) was responsible for planning and executing the 2014 municipal election. For the first time, the Steering Committee formally articulated a vision statement — to facilitate an open, fair and impartial process that encouraged participation and inspired confidence in the 2014 municipal election. In support of that vision, the Steering Committee relied on the following principles to guide decision-making: • Ensuring a legally-binding election by adhering to all legislated requirements and applying these requirements in a consistent and impartial manner; • Being fiscally responsible by staying at or below budget; • Being as fair and equitable as possible for all eligible electors; • Communicating information in an open and transparent manner; • Encouraging broad participation in the election in a variety of ways; • Providing our election workers with enhanced training and tools; and, • Looking for and employing continuous improvement measures as appropriate. In addition to retaining the changes made in 2010, a number of new initiatives were introduced for the 2014 election including: • Increased online resources, particularly for candidates; 5 - 2 • Greater use of technology, especially as it related to the Voters' List, Voter Notification Cards, and election worker recruitment; • A formalized governance model including a vision and guiding principles for the election; • More development and growth opportunities for staff involved in the election; • Further building of internal partnerships to make the election a corporate initiative; and • Better leveraging of communication resources across the region. In order to obtain a wide perspective on the election concerning what went well and what potentially needs improvement for 2018, the Steering Committee solicited, received and compiled feedback from various stakeholders as follows: Stakeholder Group Methods Used Voters Ongoing throughout the election via telephone, email, in person, social media, and election workers at the voting locations Candidates Ongoing throughout the election via email, telephone and in person Managing Deputy Returning Officers and all Two (2) surveys were emailed to 450 workers election workers and 229 responses were received in addition to emails sent by individual election workers The Steering Committee Two (2) debriefing sessions Major vendors (Dominion Voting and DataFix) Debrief meetings Other election vendors Email and telephone Waterloo Catholic Region District School Meeting with representatives Board Waterloo Region District School Board Meeting planned in April with representatives MPAC Email and area-specific debriefing Waterloo Region Area Clerks Debrief meeting Every candidate and voter who contacted the City with an inquiry or concern received a response from a member of the Legislated Services team within twenty-four (24) hours if not immediately. On Election Day and the days following, the City Clerk followed up on/responded to approximately forty (40) inquiries. The feedback from these inquiries is also reflected in improvements planned for 2018. Voters' List Having an up-to-date and comprehensive Voters' List (the List) has been and remains a perennial challenge for all levels of government but is particularly challenging for municipalities because enumeration information gathered by the Provincial and Federal governments is not shared with the municipal level. 5 - 3 In Ontario, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for providing a Voters' List to each municipality based on information in the Assessment Roll. Historically, these Lists have been very inaccurate which is problematic because voters who are not on the List cannot receive a Voter Notification Card and must be added to the List before casting a ballot. If done at the voting location, line-ups and frustration on the part of voters result. In speaking with other municipalities across this region, and in Ottawa and Toronto, the situation with the Voters' Lists was no better in 2014 for a variety reasons: • Renters: In the past, MPAC relied on landlords to provide information about renters. In 2014, they decided not to do this but opted instead to ask people to enumerate themselves using MPAC's software called "VoterLookup". • Changes in household composition: Deceased people and adult children tend to remain on the Voters' List unless someone specifically notifies MPAC to remove them. • School support: MPAC defaults school support to "Public" for those who have moved even if they were previously a "Separate" school supporter. • Multiple addresses: If a name appears on the Voters' List with more than one address, MPAC defaults to the prior address. The issue has garnered a lot of attention from various parties including AMCTO which recently indicated it will seek to meet with MPAC to outline the concerns of municipalities and request meaningful action. AMCTO staff has been directed to research enumeration options and to report back regarding research results, the position AMCTO should take, and broader engagement requirements to validate any recommendations for change. What Went Well in 2014: • Voters' List Management Software: Knowing there are issues with the Voters' List, staff procured new software called "Municipal VoterView" (VoterView) to help manage voter information better. Early in 2014, every property listed in MPAC's Assessment database was confirmed in our property database to rectify the problem with missing properties in 2010, then downloaded into VoterView and double-checked to ensure accuracy. • Updating the Voters' List: In the months leading up to the election, the City actively marketed MPAC's VoterLookup as well as our own VoterView through various means. Approximately 15,000 voters updated their information online. In addition, Legislated Services staff updated VoterView based on Amendments to the Voters' List forms received and removed deceased persons based on the City's death registration database. Overall, this resulted in a more accurate Voters' List than what MPAC provided. Post-election, Legislated Services staff updated VoterView from almost 5,000 Amendments to the Voters' List forms received at the voting locations. • Apartment buildings: When staff learned of any apartment building where the residents had been left off the list, staff deployed notices to let them know and to communicate where to vote. The notices also encouraged residents to add themselves to the Voters' List in advance of voting. As well, staff deployed more Voter Amendment forms to the voting locations where staff knew voters were likely missing from the Voters' List and adjusted the election worker positions there accordingly. 5 - 4 Improvements for 2018: 1. Maintain VoterView in-between elections and encourage citizens to update themselves in the system whenever they move or make a change in their household. 2. Perform targeted promotion of VoterView where Voters' List problems existed in 2014 (e.g., rental apartment buildings, new developments, senior residences, etc.). 3. Continue to remove people in VoterView based on our death registrations. 4. Ensure posted notices are on City of Kitchener letterhead to give them more authority and work with superintendents/property managers to replenish notices as needed. 5. Participate in consultation initiatives of AMCTO and AMO to find a better enumeration process for municipalities. 6. Review the Municipal Elections Act in conjunction with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to see if the City can use information from other sources to help keep VoterView up-to-date. 7. Include information on the City's election website to guide voters on how to contact MPAC with any concerns they might have regarding their information. Voter Notification Cards Only those who are on the Voters' List can receive a Voter Notification Card (VNC) and while there is no statutory requirement under the Municipal Elections Act (MEA) to produce VNCs, staff does so in order to facilitate voters in knowing where and when to vote, and to expedite voting for those with their VNCs and appropriate identification. Some voters reported not receiving a VNC. This was because either they were added to the Voters' List after the cut-off date or they were not on the Voters' List at all. As well, a few citizens reported receiving their VNCs late. Staff asked Canada Post (CPC) to investigate the late delivery but CPC has not been able to verify this was a problem and are unable to provide any explanation because there were no reports of equipment problems or issues with addresses. They have confirmed the dates on which the VNCs went out was early enough for citizens to have received them by the Thanksgiving weekend, certainly before the Advance Voting dates, and most certainly before Election Day. What Went Well in 2014: • VNC printing date: Staff delayed the cut-off date to print the VNCs by a few days to give more people the opportunity to be added to the Voters' List. Staff worked with our VNC printer and CPC to select a cut-off date to ensure people would receive their VNCs in time for the advance polls. As a result, the majority of the over 147,000 voters who were sent a VNC received them prior to the election. • Barcoding: In addition to information about where and when to vote, our VNCs also included a barcode to facilitate quick and accurate voter look-up and electronic strike-off at the voting locations using laptops and barcode scanners. This saved time and reduced wait times at the voting locations for those with a VNC. Feedback from voters indicated this was extremely convenient. 5 - 5 • Non-delivery of VNCs: When some citizens reported not receiving their VNCs, staff communicated with the public via a number of forums regarding how to vote even if they did not have a VNC. This augmented information already available via the election website, media release, news spots on CTV News and 570 News, over the phone with people who called and those who came to City Hall. Staff also provided information regarding how people could find out when and where to vote. Improvements for 2018: 1. Work with our VNC vendor and Canada Post to ensure timelines for delivery are realistic. 2. Revisit the use of postcard-size VNCs to enable larger barcodes for greater ease of scanning. 3. Communicate better with voters about the availability of resources for finding where and when to vote (e.g., availability of the Voters' List and the street index online, at libraries and community centres, and via the telephone by calling the City). 4. If budget permits, increase the use of laptops and barcode scanners at the voting locations to expedite voting since most voters came with their VNCs. Voting Locations Section 45 of the MEA gives the clerk the statutory authority to establish the number and location of voting locations as s/he considers most convenient for the electors but does give leeway to put voting locations outside of the voting subdivision and even outside of municipality. The latter contemplates inconvenience for voters in those situations where a suitable voting location is not present within the voting subdivision and so was used by staff only as a last resort. The clerk is also required to ensure each voting location is accessible for voters with disabilities and is further required to establish voting locations in institutions. Considerable thought was given in establishing the voting subdivisions and specific voting locations for both advance polls and Election Day in order to meet all legislative requirements under the Municipal Elections Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Among the other criteria considered were: • Population concentrations/density and optimal thresholds for voting locations; • Previous voter turnout; • Travel distance/walkability; • Proximity to transit and major roads and highways; • Availability of the location for dates/times needed; • Ability to secure equipment/supplies at the location (advance polls); • Adequate free parking; • Size and location of the room within the location; • General comfort level for voters attending at the location; • Previous problems with the location in 2010 (e.g., lack of heat, poor lighting, etc.); and • Cost. 5 - 6 Advance Poll Voting Locations Vote anywhere advance voting was offered across the City at four (4) community centres and City Hall on four (4) contiguous days. Advance polls held in 2010 in apartment buildings were evaluated to determine the value of doing so again in 2014. At a cost of approximately $200 per voter per building (many with single digit voter turnout) versus approximately $8.50 per voter at the community centres, it was deemed not to be equitable or cost-effective to have advance polls in apartment buildings, especially since they will not permit non-residents to vote there. What Went Well in 2014: • Vote anywhere: Feedback from voters indicates they were pleased to have the option to go anywhere in the city to vote rather than to a specific location within their ward. • City Hall advance poll: Voters liked that there was an advance poll at City Hall because it is centrally located in the downtown core and is accessible to all voters. • Advance poll days: The increase in the number of days for advance polls at all locations was more equitable for all voters across the city and was well-received by voters. • Advance poll set-up: In order to save cost, time and effort, advance polls were done on contiguous days to allow equipment and supplies to be set up once and securely stored on-site. The City's Facilities Management Division assisted with the transfer of equipment and supplies to/from the advance poll locations. This was seen as a great improvement over 2010 for those working at the advance poll locations. Improvements for 2018: 1. Ensure hours for the advance polls are consistent across all days. 2. Inquire with apartment buildings to open their facility to non-residents for voting. Election Day Voting Locations— General Finding well-placed voting locations which met the above-mentioned criteria was a challenge. Staff used MapQuest to map the various locations in conjunction with meeting the population density threshold of an average of 2200 eligible electors per poll. In some cases, the boundary for the threshold precluded voters from voting at a location nearest to them. Walkability to the voting location is desirable but not possible for everyone in the voting subdivision. Staff kept the average distance for a voting location at 1.3 to 1.5 kilometres (around a 4-minute drive). The furthest voting location was 5.1 kilometres or a 9-minute drive in Hidden Valley where there is no community centre or school. Where possible, voting locations were selected no further than where it was anticipated voters would typically shop or do their banking. As mentioned in FCS-15-004, voting locations deemed accessible in 2010 and met the criteria mentioned above, were reused as much as possible. For various reasons, some locations previously used in 2010 could not be used. Schools, for example, are not required to be AODA- compliant until 2021 so some were not suitable for the municipal election even though they were used for the provincial election in June 2014. This resulted in the following voting location changes: 5 - 7 • Margaret Avenue Public School: The school board advised the parking lot would be under construction and could not commit to having the work done by Election Day; thus, the Kitchener Public Library Main Branch (KPL) was used in its place. • St. Aloysius Catholic Elementary School: The Catholic School Board notified staff this school was going to be under construction so Activa Sportsplex was selected as an alternate voting location. • Eastwood Collegiate: Was identified as not being accessible, which led to the use of Rockway Golf Course. • Queens Public School and Southridge Public School: Accessibility concerns identified in 2010 had not been addressed so voters were directed to Queensmount Arena. • St. John's Catholic School: Recent renovations made the school AODA-compliant so it replaced the University of Waterloo's School of Pharmacy where concerns were expressed in 2010 as to the lack of free parking there. In all cases where a voting location was moved because it did not meet AODA requirements, it was replaced with the next closest AODA-compliant location which also met other criteria for site selection. Disappointingly, Cadillac Fairview would not permit us to use Fairview Mall as a voting location and nothing in the MEA enables us to compel them to do so. As well, since many churches/places of worship are not accessible and are ill-suited in other ways, they were not used as voting locations. There will continue to be challenges in reconciling the conflict between the Safe Schools Act and the need to use schools as voting locations going forward unless the Province makes changes to balance both sides. What Went Well in 2014: • Votinq location inspections: Building Division staff performed the inspections of voting locations which was more efficient and effective. • Votinq locations: The majority of voting locations were familiar to voters, within their neighbourhood and easy to reach. The following were used quite successfully: • City's community centres — Staff used all of the City's community centres, most of which are well-situated and well-known within the community. • Schools — Staff used as many schools as possible because, like community centres, they are quite often easy to find and known within their neighbourhoods. • High schools — In the past, high schools were avoided as voting locations because it was perceived older people are afraid of teenagers. Using high schools, however, helps to promote voting to a demographic very close to voting age. As well, there is generally more parking at high schools and many are AODA-compliant. • Kitchener Public Library — Using KPL helped to promote the new facility, especially as it is well-located and known to the community. 5 - 8 • Coordination with school boards: Election staff contacted school board staff earlier in the process than in 2010 and increased communication leading up to the election. This helped to reduce the number of issues experienced on Election Day, though it did not eliminate them entirely. There were many principals who were also very helpful and cooperative (e.g., the principal at St. Mary's High School worked with the Managing Deputy Returning Officer (MDRO) to move the location within the school to a room closer to the accessible entrance). • Staff responsiveness: In all cases voters who contacted the City regarding issues with voting locations received a quick response and all issues were addressed quickly as staff became aware of them. The City Clerk responded personally to all emails and telephone calls received directly. • Signage: Based on 2010 feedback, the number of A-frame and directional signs deployed was increased for every voting location but where staff received reports on Election Day that signage was inadequate, additional signage was deployed as needed, especially to direct voters to the accessible entrances of voting locations. Improvements for 2018: 1. Communicate better with citizens regarding changes in voting locations from the previous election (or elections for other levels of government) and encourage them to check with us regarding where to vote. 2. Review voting locations used in the provincial and federal elections to see if those locations can be used by the City as well. 3. Review voting subdivision boundaries and all feedback regarding specific voting locations to ensure suitability of locations in conjunction with selection criteria. 4. Work more closely with the various school boards to review the school locations used in 2014 to resolve specific issues identified by the feedback from voters and election workers including proximity of rooms to accessible entrances. 5. Ensure election workers are clear about the accessible entrances to voting locations and provide correct directions for voters. 6. Increase signage at voting locations including using the stationary signs at the voting locations. 7. Investigate the possibility of using local malls as voting locations. 8. Increase Election Assistants for those voting locations where warranted. 9. Double-check transit routes for voting locations to ensure convenience of access. 10. Add a link on the City's election website to Grand River Transit to better assist voters who need to take public transit to vote and/or investigate using open data to provide direct linkages between voting locations and the CRT's bus routes. 11. Participate in consultation initiatives to lobby the Province to facilitate the use of schools as voting locations while ensuring compliance with the Safe Schools Act (e.g., move Election Day to a Saturday or Sunday, require school boards to declare a PD day). 12. Increase the number of Legislated Services staff on the telephones from 5-9pm on Election Day to better assist with inquiries. 5 - 9 Election Day Votinq Locations - Parking There was good turnout on Election Day so during peak times parking was not always sufficient at some locations, particularly at schools during school hours. This is a perennial issue. It is not possible to only select locations which have massive amounts of parking so establishing voting locations on transit routes where possible and encouraging voters to consider alternate modes of transportation is important. There were also reports voters did not park in school parking lots because of signage indicating parking was only for teachers and staff. What Went Well in 2014: • Advertising: Anticipating some parking issues, staff advertised on the election website that parking might be at a premium during certain points in the day at schools. • Election workers: To help free-up parking spots, election workers were given signs to put on their car dashboards so they could park elsewhere without being ticketed providing they did not park in a Fire or No Stopping Zone, or in a Disabled Parking spot. • Parkinq signage: Where locations were new or the parking was not easily visible, staff deployed A-frame signs to help direct voters to the correct parking lot (e.g., KPL - staff worked with the Parking Enterprise and By-Law Enforcement divisions to identify a nearby parking lot for voters where they could park for free). • Direct communication with schools: When staff received a report a school parking lot entrance was blocked, the principal was immediately contacted to remove the obstacles. Improvements for 2018: 1. Work with school boards to identify parking issues and the means to reduce the problem on Election Day (e.g., ensure principals do not block parking lots, cover signs that indicate parking is only for teachers and school staff). 2. Increase communication to voters regarding parking being at a premium at certain locations (e.g., reminders via the media, messaging on the VNCs). 3. Encourage voters to consider alternate modes of transportation where possible. 4. Look for additional AODA-compliant locations to enhance walkability. Election Day Votinq Locations — Institutions The Municipal Elections Act requires municipalities to have a separate voting place for the residents of institutions but also allows municipalities to reduce the number of hours for voting at such institutions. As in 2010, Council approved the plan to reduce the number of hours to four (4) at sixteen (16) institutions with the proviso that staff would extend the hours where necessary. This was done at Trinity Village where there appeared to have been a mis- communication with staff at that institution regarding the hours for voting. The MEA is also quite prescriptive in what constitutes an "institution" and stipulates such voting locations can only be used for the residents of that institution. In a couple of instances, staff discovered too late there was conflicting information about what facilities/addresses comprised the "institution" and so were unable to change those locations. 5 - 10 What Went Well in 2014: • Election teams: Having eight (8) teams of two (2) people for sixteen polls (16) worked well. The teams indicated that four (4) hours in each institution was more than sufficient to give everyone an opportunity to cast their vote. This resulted in cost savings and was an effective use of election workers without compromising anyone's right to vote. • Roving polls: Election workers were trained to do a "roving poll" within those locations where residents were bedridden and to offer assistance in accordance with the MEA in order to afford each person the opportunity to vote. Improvements for 2018: 1. Contact institutions in advance of establishing voting locations to confirm all the facilities/addresses that form part of their complex. 2. Communicate with institutions in advance of the election to ensure they know the hours when the polls will be open in their institution and work with them to communicate this information to their residents. Voting Process Votinq Equipment It is important to ensure the voting equipment is reliable, easy to use, and able to withstand scrutiny in the event of a challenge. It is also important election workers feel comfortable using the equipment and have support to address any issues they cannot resolve themselves. What Went Well in 2014: • Decentralized tabulators: The decision to use the same tabulators as in 2010 was beneficial as they are a proven technology, known to withstand court scrutiny (based on the 2010 recount), cost-effective, required less training of staff, and allowed staff to capitalize on previously-created procedure manuals. Their use reduced the number of staff at City Hall on election night and enabled quick posting of results. These tabulators also gave voters the opportunity to re-mark their ballots immediately. • Accessible tabulators: As indicated in report FCS-15-004, accessible tabulators were once again used at all the advance poll locations in 2014. These allowed a voter with a disability to independently mark their ballot using an Audio Tactile Interface (ATI) and headphones while listening to an audio ballot. Paddle Button Input, and Sip and Puff Interface devices were connected to the ATI to enable voters with different physical disabilities to navigate the ballot and mark their ballot without assistance. • Training: Adding hands-on training on the operation of the tabulators for the Managing Deputy Returning Officers (MDROs) was a wise investment of time. It afforded the MDROs the chance to experience how the tabulators actually worked. It also gave staff the opportunity to answer specific questions. Ninety-eight (98) percent of the MDROs surveyed indicated they felt this training was especially valuable for them. 5 - 11 • Technical support: Although every tabulator was tested in advance of the advance polls, it is inevitable that some tabulators will not behave properly on Election Day. In anticipation of this, staff arranged for a technical support specialist from Dominion Voting Systems to be on-site to assist with any tabulator issues. While most technical issues were resolved over the telephone, the Dominion technician was deployed to several voting locations. Extra tabulators were ordered in case of a major malfunction but only one (1) unit needed to be replaced and this was done with no disruption to voting. Improvements for 2018: 1. Update the analysis of internet voting completed for the 2014 election to identify if circumstances have changed sufficiently to warrant potential adoption for 2018. 2. Research and procure the most up-to-date voting equipment the budget will allow. Ballots It is important ballots are correct, easy to understand and can be filled in by voters. The overall design of the ballots used in 2014 was the same as in 2010 including the size of the check boxes. Additional design improvements were implemented in consultation with the City's Inclusion Coordinator to employ print guidelines for people with low vision. Several people who have English as a second language were consulted regarding the instructions on the ballot. Despite these improvements, some voters found it difficult to fill in the check boxes easily. What Went Well in 2014: • Ballot design: Feedback from voters indicates instructions on the ballots were easy to read and understand. • Ballot content: Ballots were correct and in compliance with the MEA. Improvements for 2018: 1. Work with our voting equipment/ballot vendor to design the ballots so it is easier to mark voting selections and/or investigate using non-paper ballots such as touch screens. 2. Ensure instructions concerning voting for more than one candidate in an office are clearly articulated and provide extra training to election workers on how to communicate this information better. Proxy Votinq Voters who are unavailable on Election Day must have the opportunity to vote either at an advance poll or via Proxy. Advance voting was offered over the course of four (4) days but some voters were not available to vote then and so exercised their right to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. The Province regulates how, when and the form that must be used to appoint a proxy. Legislated Services staff was committed to facilitating voters via the proxy voting process but there was one incident where a voter was provided incorrect information concerning the process. Once this error was discovered, the voter was informed of the correct process and while the error inconvenienced the voter, it did not impede the voter's right to vote. 5 - 12 While most voters who required a proxy vote found the process easy, feedback from some voters indicated coming to City Hall during regular work hours was not very convenient. What Went Well in 2014: • Website information: Information about the proxy voting process was provided in plain language on the election website. • Training of Legislated Services staff: Staff was facilitative to enable proxy voting. • Extended hours: Legislated Services staff was available on the Saturday of the advance voting in accordance with the MEA to accept proxy votes and offered proxy voting to election workers at their training sessions. Improvements for 2018: 1. Investigate the possibility of offering more evenings when proxy votes can be accepted for greater convenience to voters and ensure good communication of this availability to voters. 2. Ensure all Legislated Services are well-versed in the rules and procedures concerning proxy votes. 3. Provide information about the proxy process in plain language to voters who come in person to pick up a proxy form. 4. Consider making the proxy form available on-line if the legislation permits. Election Workers & Training The City, like other municipalities and levels of government, relies on citizens to work the election. The participation of citizens is critical to dispersing voting locations throughout the area and facilitating voters. The City also gives opportunities to its own staff to be involved in the election either at the voting locations or in other capacities. Feedback from citizens and staff indicate it was an enjoyable, interesting and valuable experience. With the increase in the use of technology, the visibility of elections, and other sociological factors, it is becoming more challenging to find qualified election workers for the voting locations. Hiring over 450 election workers precludes interviewing each person and makes it difficult to perfectly match each person with the right position. Ensuring the proper training and tools are in place is paramount in supporting our election workers so they can fulfill their functions ably and confidently. Even after providing election workers with training and tools, there were some isolated procedural issues that arose at some of the voting locations (e.g., completing forms, processing ballots from the auxiliary ballot box compartment, etc.). While they might have caused some confusion or inconvenience at the voting locations, the results of the election were not impacted and the integrity of the election process remains intact. A review of these issues does, however, point to a need to enhance our recruitment efforts to find election workers with the skillset required, and to increase training even further so that election workers are very clear on processes and expectations. 5 - 13 What Went Well in 2014: • Managing Deputy Returning Officers: Using City staff in the key role of Managing Deputy Returning Officer (MDRO) worked well in that in the majority of cases their skills were already known to us. It also gave us more flexibility for training during work hours. • Online recruitment: The online application process used for election workers enabled Legislated Services staff to process applications and assign workers more efficiently and effectively. Staff developed a more efficient process to obtain Social Insurance Numbers from election workers in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. • Online communications: The majority of contact with election workers was via email which was extremely efficient and resulted in a savings in the election budget. • Training: Staff enhanced election training by offering different sessions depending on the roles assigned to the workers. Where it was possible, staff streamlined training of election workers by having them perform the same role at the advance polls and on voting day. Where staff could, election workers were given the same role in 2014 as they performed in 2010 in order to capitalize on previous knowledge. Election workers reported the training was excellent, especially the hands-on tabulator training. • Procedure manuals and tools: Legislated Services revamped the procedure manuals based on feedback from the 2010 election. As well each election worker position was provided with a "placemat" which gave them quick and easy access to the most important information they needed to assist voters. • Support: Providing election workers with support was seen as critical to enabling them to perform well at the voting locations. Legislated Services staff was on-call for election workers in the days leading up to the election and on Election Day. Each MDRO acted as a point person for his/her voting location and liaised with Legislated Services to resolve issues. • Election Day dispatching: Staff knew it would be inevitable that some replacement equipment and additional supplies would need to be deployed to various voting locations. In the past this was uncoordinated and inefficient resulting in delays. In 2014 staff divided the city into quadrants and assigned one individual ("runner") to each quadrant while another staff member acted as a "dispatcher" to control the delivery of election equipment and supplies. This provided quick, responsive service to election workers which minimized issues at the voting locations. • Election worker pay: Election worker pay was increased over 2010 which was well- received by those who had worked in 2010. Improvements for 2018: 1. We have provided suggestions to our software vendor to enhance the election worker recruitment module which should benefit all their municipal customers so we will look for those improvements for 2018. 2. Evaluate each election worker position and develop qualifications for each to aid in recruitment. 5 - 14 3. Include better position descriptions and qualifications as well as information about our selection process on the election website in order to increase transparency. 4. Begin the recruitment process earlier in the election planning process. 5. Review all feedback from election workers to further improve training and the procedure manual. 6. Re-evaluate staffing needs at each voting location as per feedback from election workers and voters. 7. Review election worker pay to keep on par with neighbouring municipalities. Communication Ensuring excellent communication from the beginning was seen as a critical element to the success of the election. Communicating with voters and candidates using a variety of media formats was especially important in order to promote the election and to promote the vote. What Went Well in 2014: • Communications/Marketing staff: Having a Communications/Marketing staff member as part of the Steering Committee enabled us to plan better for promoting the election and to interconnect our activities with other municipalities within the region. A communication plan leveraged as many communication mediums as possible. • Regional partnerships: Establishing partnerships with the area municipalities allowed for cost-sharing which helped to stretch communication budgets further and harnessed different ideas from all the area communications professionals. • Election promotion: Staff actively engaged the media very early to help publicize the election. The election was promoted via posters in the community centres, library branches, and on buses, as well as articles and advertisements in the Kitchener Citizen and the Post. The City even had a "Promote the Vote" float in the Oktoberfest parade as a fun way to promote the election. • Election website: Staff further developed the election website to provide information to voters and made it interactive so voters could easily find out if they were on the Voters' List, where and when to vote, and information about the candidates. In addition, more online resources were provided to candidates such as links to legislation, guides, forms, maps, training courses, and other information. As individual candidates made requests, the information was provided to all the candidates where it was deemed to be of broad interest. Most candidates took advantage of the electronic Voters' List which was provided in both PDF and Excel formats for ease of use. • Social media: The use of social media as well as Ping Street allowed us to reach different demographics and spurred good dialogue on a variety of election issues. • Election night reporting: Election night reporting was enhanced so the media, voters and candidates could easily receive and track the results. 5 - 15 Improvements for 2018: 1. Ensure a good understanding of roles and responsibilities amongst the various area communications professionals. 2. Review the issue regarding linking to candidate websites with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, legal counsel, and other municipalities. Governance & Staffing The Election Steering Committee was struck in June 2013 with members from across the City brought together from the beginning. This promoted active engagement and enabled better integration of tasks because interdependencies were identified by members early in the process. What Went Well in 2014: • Meetings: The Steering Committee met monthly from June to December 2013, bi- weekly from January to June 2014 and then weekly leading up to Election Day. This meeting schedule promoted excellent communication amongst members, and provided good support and recognition on an ongoing basis. Formalized agendas, minutes and an action tracking system helped members meet their milestones on time. • Vision: For the first time, the Steering Committee developed a vision statement and guiding principles for the election which was adhered to throughout the planning and execution of the election. • Sub-committees: Sub-committees completed specific bodies of work and brought information back to the Steering Committee to ensure all streams of work came together. Everyone on the Steering Committee had a voice and input was regularly sought. Most decisions were made by consensus with the Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk having veto power. • Staff development: Steering Committee members were given the opportunity to select the tasks they would like to perform or on which sub-committees they would like to serve rather than defaulting to what they did in the last election. This allowed staff to build on the skills they already had while providing further growth and development. Staff shared their knowledge with one another which enabled continuity of coverage in the absence of any team member. • Contingency planning: Early in the process it was identified the collective bargaining for CUPE 791 might have an impact on the election so a strike contingency plan was put into place which included completing some tasks earlier in the election cycle. Improvements for 2018: 1. Ensure regular communication in-between Steering Committee meetings for staff working together on inter-related tasks. 2. Regularly report to CLT and CMT regarding Steering Committee decisions and progress on election planning. 5 - 16 Internal Partnerships The philosophy on ownership for the election changed for the 2014 election in that it was not just Legislated Services' responsibility but more of a corporate initiative led by the Steering Committee. This drove a partnership approach and drew on complementary skills and knowledge across the organization. What Went Well in 2014: • Early involvement: Staff outside of Legislated Services who are key to the process was brought in at the early planning stages including Communications & Marketing, IT and Purchasing. • Voting location inspections: In the past members of the Steering Committee had to inspect the voting locations for AODA compliance which was time consuming. This year staff partnered with the Building Division which performed these inspections. Because more lead time was given, these inspections did not adversely impact that division's regular work schedules. • Equipment/supplies delivery: Facilities Management worked with the Steering Committee to transfer election equipment and supplies to/from voting locations for the advance polls. This allowed for greater efficiency for set-up on advance poll days. • Polling location management: The Steering Committee reached out to CLT and CMT to encourage more City staff to work at and manage the polling stations. Improvements for 2018: 1. Communicate with CLT and CMT earlier in the election planning process regarding requests for assistance from other divisions, especially relating to use of staff as election workers. 2. Review specific issues with relevant divisions early in the planning process to incorporate their suggestions/feedback for improvements relating to their areas. MEA Consultations The Province has announced it will be doing public consultations with respect to a review of the Municipal Elections Act. It is anticipated that amongst the key stakeholders who will be consulted, will be municipalities, either directly or via such organizations as AMO, AMCTO and others. The City of Kitchener would most certainly like to participate in those consultations to lend our voice to possible changes/additions to the MEA. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality of Life and Community Engagement — Providing a barrier-free municipal election enables all eligible electors to vote and be heard which supports meaningful inclusion in civic life. Enabling citizens to work in the election helps to nurture a sense of pride and community. Financial Management — Conducting the election within the budget demonstrates fiscal responsibility. 5 - 17 Growth and Development — Involving staff in the election provides growth and development opportunities. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Total budget for 2014 election $ 429,461 Total cost of 2014 election $ 352,868 Surplus transferred to election reserve $ 76,593 Funds remaining in the election reserve will be applied towards the 2018 election. Should on- line voting be pursued in the future, maintaining the current balance will alleviate the need to request a budget increase. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. In addition, a communication strategy was developed and executed for the 2014 Municipal Election ensuring information about the election was actively promoted on the City's Election website as well as through the local media. CONSULT — Feedback received from 2010 was taken into consideration in executing the 2014 election. Feedback received from voters, candidates, election workers and others concerning the 2014 election is reflected in the proposed improvements for 2018. COLLABORATE—At the August 28, 2014 GRAAC meeting, Legislated Services staff presented the various accessibility measures being implemented for the election, and received positive feedback from GRAAC. Members of GRAAC were particularly pleased with the use of accessible tabulators at all advance polls as well as the number and dispersal of those locations around the city and the fact they were all on bus routes. No further suggestions were made to increase the accessibility of the City's election process. CONCLUSION: With each election, new initiatives are implemented, processes are changed and improvements are made. The commitment to efficiently facilitating open, fair and impartial elections that encourage participation and inspire confidence guides staff to ensure policies, practices, and procedures are constantly evaluated. Staff will continue to review, address and improve the process for the 2018 Municipal Election in consultation with other municipalities and in collaboration with those who are key stakeholders. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dan Chapman, Deputy CAO 5 - 18 Appendix "A" Consolidated List of Improvements for the 2018 Election Voters' List 1. Maintain VoterView in-between elections and encourage citizens to update themselves in the system whenever they move or make a change in their household. 2. Perform targeted promotion of VoterView where Voters' List problems existed in 2014 (e.g., rental apartment buildings, new developments, senior residences, etc.). 3. Continue to remove people in VoterView based on our death registrations. 4. Ensure posted notices are on City of Kitchener letterhead to give them more authority and work with superintendents/property managers to replenish notices as needed. 5. Participate in consultation initiatives of AMCTO and AMO to find a better enumeration process for municipalities. 6. Review the Municipal Elections Act in conjunction with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to see if the City can use information from other sources to help keep VoterView up-to-date. 7. Include information on the City's election website to guide voters on how to contact MPAC with any concerns they might have regarding their information. Voter Notification Cards 1. Work with our VNC vendor and Canada Post to ensure timelines for delivery are realistic. 2. Revisit the use of postcard-size VNCs to enable larger barcodes for greater ease of scanning. 3. Communicate better with voters about the availability of resources for finding where and when to vote (e.g., availability of the Voters' List and the street index online, at libraries and community centres, and via the telephone by calling the City). 4. If budget permits, increase the use of laptops and barcode scanners at the voting locations to expedite voting since most voters came with their VNCs. Voting Locations 1. Ensure hours for the advance polls are consistent across all days. 2. Inquire with apartment buildings to open their facility to non-residents for voting. 3. Communicate better with citizens regarding changes in voting locations from the previous election (or elections for other levels of government) and encourage them to check with us regarding where to vote. 4. Review voting locations used in the provincial and federal elections to see if those locations can be used by the City as well. 5. Review voting subdivision boundaries and all feedback regarding specific voting locations to ensure suitability of locations in conjunction with selection criteria. 5 - 19 6. Work more closely with the various school boards to review the school locations used in 2014 to resolve specific issues identified by the feedback from voters and election workers including proximity of rooms to accessible entrances. 7. Ensure election workers are clear about the accessible entrances to voting locations and provide correct directions for voters. 8. Increase signage at voting locations including using the stationary signs at the voting locations. 9. Investigate the possibility of using local malls as voting locations. 10. Increase Election Assistants for those voting locations where warranted. 11. Double-check transit routes for voting locations to ensure convenience of access. 12. Add a link on the City's election website to Grand River Transit to better assist voters who need to take public transit to vote and investigate using open data to provide direct linkages between voting locations and the CRT's bus routes. 13. Participate in consultation initiatives to lobby the Province to facilitate the use of schools as voting locations while ensuring compliance with the Safe Schools Act (e.g., move Election Day to a Saturday or Sunday, require school boards to declare a PD day). 14. Increase the number of Legislated Services staff on the telephones from 5-9pm on Election Day to better assist with inquiries. 15. Work with school boards to identify parking issues and the means to reduce the problem on Election Day (e.g., ensure principals do not block parking lots, cover signs that indicate parking is only for teachers and school staff). 16. Increase communication to voters regarding parking being at a premium at certain locations (e.g., reminders via the media, messaging on the VNCs). 17. Encourage voters to consider alternate modes of transportation where possible. 18. Look for additional AODA-compliant locations to enhance walkability. 19. Contact institutions in advance of establishing voting locations to confirm all the facilities/addresses that form part of their complex. 20. Communicate with institutions in advance of the election to ensure they know the hours when the polls will be open in their institution and work with them to communicate this information to their residents. Voting Process 1. Update the analysis of internet voting completed for the 2014 election to identify if circumstances have changed sufficiently to warrant potential adoption for 2018. 2. Research and procure the most up-to-date voting equipment the budget will allow. 3. Work with our voting equipment/ballot vendor to design the ballots so it is easier to mark voting selections and/or investigate using non-paper ballots such as touch screens. 4. Ensure instructions concerning voting for more than one candidate in an office are clearly articulated and provide extra training to election workers on how to communicate this information better. 5. Investigate the possibility of offering more evenings when proxy votes can be accepted for greater convenience to voters and ensure good communication of this availability to voters. 5 - 20 6. Ensure all Legislated Services are well-versed in the rules and procedures concerning proxy votes. 7. Provide information about the proxy process in plain language to voters who come in person to pick up a proxy form. 8. Consider making the proxy form available on-line if the legislation permits. Election Workers & Training 1. We have provided suggestions to our software vendor to enhance the election worker recruitment module which should benefit all their municipal customers so we will look for those improvements for 2018. 2. Evaluate each election worker position and develop qualifications for each to aid in recruitment. 3. Include better position descriptions and qualifications as well as information about our selection process on the election website in order to increase transparency. 4. Begin the recruitment process earlier in the election planning process. 5. Review all feedback from election workers to further improve training and the procedure manual. 6. Re-evaluate staffing needs at each voting location as per feedback from workers and voters. 7. Review election worker pay to keep on par with neighbouring municipalities. Communication 1. Ensure a good understanding of roles and responsibilities amongst the various area communications professionals. 2. Review the issue regarding linking to candidate websites with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, legal counsel, and other municipalities. Governance & Staffing 1. Ensure regular communication in-between Steering Committee meetings for staff working together on inter-related tasks. 2. Regularly report to CLT and CMT regarding Steering Committee decisions and progress on election planning. Internal Partnerships 1. Communicate with CLT and CMT earlier in the election planning process regarding requests for assistance from other divisions, especially relating to use of staff as election workers. 2. Review specific issues with relevant divisions early in the planning process to incorporate their suggestions/feedback for improvements relating to their areas. 5 - 21