After further discussion with the community, the Lethbridge City Council has voted 7-2 to rescind the decision to locate a ward system in Lethbridge.
During the October 2021 municipal election, Lethbridge residents were asked not only to vote for their elected representatives, but also faced two referendum questions.
One of those questions asked: “Do you support using a ward system to elect city councilors (other than the mayor) starting with the 2025 municipal election?”
The results show that 55.69 per cent voters said yes. A ward system differs from a larger system in that the city is divided into a number of wards and councilors are elected by voters in those wards.
Despite this majority vote, the council passed a resolution on Tuesday to end the examination process.
The proposal states, “The current model cannot produce better representation, greater voter turnout or a more effective and efficient process.
“The current process would cost substantial funds to develop and implement and is unlikely to have sufficient support from councils causing further confusion and wasting valuable resources in attempting to implement an unwanted model on a large scale “
According to the city, implementation of the review will cost approximately $300,000 in one-time funding, which is approved by council in June 2022.
Councilor John Middleton-Hope said, “We have had additional polls recently which indicated that 54 per cent of those who responded to the survey indicated they were not in favor of a review of the ward system.”
“A head of citizens who have taken the time to engage with council members have indicated they are concerned about the progress of this process going forward.”
Councilors Belinda Crowson and Jan Schmidt-Rempel took issue with the motion, believing it disregarded the vote.
Schmidt-Rempel explained, “It’s about respecting the wishes of the voters from the October 2021 election, that’s where I come from.”
“Giving our community that opportunity, to form a ward commission and give them the ability to have a say in how our elected representatives are elected, is very important to me.”
What about a range system instead?
On Tuesday, Councilor Middleton-Hope instead put forward a proposal for a so-called “complex” system, which she believes will satisfy residents’ desires for some sort of electoral reform without the same costs associated with ward reviews. Will still address.
“It’s not just a model thrown together, it’s actually looked at some comprehensive data; It’s quite clearly a model that hasn’t been used in Alberta before,” he said.
This would see councilors elected using the at-large system (all residents can vote for all councillors), but would also see the city divided into four quadrants, and councilors rotating as representatives of those quadrants during their four-year terms. .
The goal is to provide a hybrid between the two models to help provide better connection and accountability.
“I think it gives us an opportunity to really listen and reflect the interests and concerns, and desires and hopes and aspirations of citizens across the city.”
The community will have an opportunity to come forward and share their feelings on the border system when it goes to the administration’s permanent policy committee sometime in the new year, but Schmidt-Rempel still expressed her disappointment with the change.
“In my opinion, we haven’t had the community consultation that I would have liked to see going forward with the Ward Commission,” she said. “We are now, as the council, telling our voters how they are going to vote.
“I will certainly support the council’s decision that came through today, because it is the council’s decision.”
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.