City podcast looks at the upcoming municipal election

CALGARY – Calgary Conversations – The City of Calgary’s podcast – takes a look at the upcoming municipal vote and the work of the Elections team.

In a wide-ranging interview about how, where and when to vote, Returning officer Kate Martin and Assistant Director of Elections Andrew Brouwer give listeners a glimpse into what to expect on Election Day and some of the work that goes into ensuring a fair and accessible election.

There are several new rules for this election and more polling stations. The new rules include political parties, mail-in ballot changes and the reintroduction of hand counting.

Martin says ensuring Calgarians the process is fair and unbiased is the key work of her team.

“Independence and impartiality are important so Calgarians can have trust in the process,” said Martin.

“Some of the differences Calgarians will see is the name of the political party right next to the candidate’s name on the ballot.”

Brouwer explains that arranging hundreds of thousands of Calgarians to have their voices heard, is a big job.

“We have 261 voting stations across the city,” said Brouwer.

“Those are all inspected to make sure they are physically accessible and meet our needs and are close to transit.”

The pair share important information on how to vote, convenient advance voting options and what steps are taken to ensure the voting process is trustworthy.

“Calgarians should be confident that the ballot they cast will be secure," said Martin. 

This year’s election of Council, The Mayor and trustees for both the public and Catholic school boards will go Oct. 20. The last day to have nominations filed to Elections Calgary for those hoping to run in this election is Sept. 22.

You can view the podcast at calgary.ca/podcast or through most popular podcast providers.

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