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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
As the municipal election gets closer to the October deadline for proxy forms, some Yellowknifers are finding it difficult to vote.

Christine Glowach, who is a political science major at the Concordia University in Montreal, began the process of voting by proxy weeks ago. -

Yellowknifer Christine Glowach, who is a political science major at the Concordia University in Montreal, managed to vote in the upcoming election by proxy but said it was an ordeal.

Glowach began the process of voting by proxy weeks ago. At the time, she searched the city's website for information, which she said told voters to come to city hall in person to pick up proxy forms. Seeing as Glowach was in Montreal, she decided to call city hall to get more information.

"I called to see if I could do it over the phone or get someone to go down there for a form to complete. I was told that I had to submit a letter with my signature and explain in the letter why I needed a proxy. I also had to send a copy of my driver's licence and (that the letter) had to get approved and then I would be sent the proxy form," said Glowach.

According to the city's website, the returning officer needs the name of the proxy voter, the signed letter requesting a proxy application and a copy of the requesting voter's driver's licence, which will be used to validate the signature on the signed letter. The form should be signed in front of a witness over the age of 18 and given to the proxy voter to take to the polling station.

According to Nalini Naidoo, director of communications and economic development for the city, all forms can be acquired and submitted through e-mail or fax. Proxy voters must vote at the designated polling station of the people they are voting for. There are seven polling stations in the city.

"The issue with the proxy form is that we need to control how many forms are out there (to control voter fraud)," said Naidoo.

So, how does Yellowknife compare to other cities?

The City of Toronto has the same procedure for proxy voting as Yellowknife, while Winnipeg sends sealed ballot packages to the voters' homes. This year, Edmonton is trying Internet voting but for Yellowknife this is something that has not been discussed.

"We will consider it at the point when it becomes authorized voting in the NWT. But the way the act is now, there are only a limited number of ways to vote, the primary one being proxy," said mayor Gord Van Tighem.

"We haven't had discussions as a council (on the issue). If it's not in the legislation then it's not something (we discuss). We do meet quarterly with MLAs and it's something that could be brought up in that forum."

Van Tighem also said communities can propose Internet voting to the NWT Association of Communities, which can then take the matter to the legislative assembly.

"Technology is evolving so rapidly that to not use (technology) is a mistake," said Glowach. "By using online voting we have to make sure that we apply the secrecy and regulations of (ballot voting to Internet voting).

"The future in Yellowknife is with young people and if they are scattered (across Canada) because they're going to university, then we have to make the process more accessible to them."

As for Glowach, she has already sent in her proxy and hopes other Yellowknife voters do too.

"I think it's super important to vote and even if the process is super daunting make sure you do vote because it is so important in our democratic process," said Glowach.

To vote by proxy, voters must submit a designated proxy form to the returning officer by Oct. 10. Voting day is Oct. 15.

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