I never thought the day would come, wherein dollars would restrict our democratic right to exercise our civic duty.
But in the Oct. 27 Gazette, our very own returning (elections) officer, effectively put a price tag on democracy, by stating that having more voting stations and ballots would be costly. He wanted to save money by cramming more people (subdivisions) into smaller venues.
He had years to prepare for a long-established election. To say that he didn’t have the necessary spaces is an excuse for poor planning.
By comparison, the “surprise” one-month-notice federal campaign illustrated organization and efficiency with minimal wait times and lines for voters.
How dysfunctional has the city become when they don’t blink an eye on spending exuberant amounts of our tax dollars on feasibility studies, efficiency reports, “pre-construction costs,” and other pet projects?
Yet, when it comes to facilitating the municipal vote, making our democratically-protected right to vote an easy and painless process, the self-serving decision reverted to saving money wherever possible.
Adding salt to the wound, Remembrance Day is upon us — when we collectively recognize all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, past and still serving.
As the grandson of a hero who served in the Second World War, I find the returning officer’s position offensive and out of touch.
Our veterans ran into conflict and fought evil to protect our freedoms and democracies so that we would forever have a say (and a vote) in our governance. They didn’t lay down our lives for us hoping voting would be affordable.
Imagine, the disgust of our fallen and injured, to know that they gave it all for us, and that one day, someone would come along and say we can’t make voting easier, because it would be too expensive.
Shawn LeMay, St. Albert
