Election scrutineering update
To support transparency, candidates and their representatives have the option to attend and observe election processes at three scrutineering locations: Election Day City Hall in-person voting, Advanced Voting locations including Special and At-Home Voting, and Online Voting, which was added this week. Attendance at any of these locations is entirely optional. These observation opportunities are not new and were introduced as part of the 2023 Ward 1 By-Election as part of the City's regular election procedures.
As City Clerk and Returning Officer, the Clerk is responsible for conducting the election in a fair, transparent, and accountable manner and has established procedures that balance transparency with the operational requirements of delivering a secure and well-administered election. To support this, staff must maintain control of three separate election closing processes taking place at City Hall: the closure of online voting, the closure of advance voting, and the closure of voting at City Hall. These processes are conducted separately to ensure accuracy, security, and operational efficiency. Candidates who wish to observe all closing activities in person may therefore require additional scrutineers to be present across the various locations.
Election results will be compiled and reported using the same established process as in previous elections, regardless of whether scrutineers are present, and there will be no additional delays to the release of results as a result of these observation opportunities. The City remains committed to transparency and upholding the democratic process while ensuring the election is conducted in a secure, accurate, and efficient manner. Recognizing that some smaller campaigns may not have the resources to staff all observation locations, campaigns may choose to coordinate with one another and share scrutineering responsibilities to support effective oversight of the election process.
Jennifer Shaw
Director of Legislative Services / City Clerk
