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City of Kawartha Lakes clerk Judy Currins has completed her report on the problems encountered in the 2006 Municipal election.

Among the horror stories in her report: 5677 "improperly completed voter kits", more than 4000 voter kits returned unopened, and more than 300 ballots ("yellow envelopes") returned to the election office after the election. To put this in perspective, that means at 9977 "lost ballots", in an election in which the total number of votes cast for all mayoralty candidates was 27,251. Do the math!

In the November elections 133 Ontario municipalities used mail-in ballots.The result was a travesty of democracy:

Up to 20% of votes rejected More votes were uncounted because they arrived in the mail past the deadline Although the ballot said you could vote in person, there was only one polling station for the entire City of Kawartha Lakes (area 3059 sq. km). There was no provision for privacy or security: for example, there was nothing to prevent anyone voting for a spouse, parent, child or tenant. Despite a wildly inaccurate voters list (eg. duplicate names, out-of-date addresses, and deceased voters), all ballots were sent in the mail, so could be used by whomever received them.

Help us to ensure this never happens again!

• Sign the online petition
• Sign (or circulate) the Ontario Legislature Petition
• send your comments to Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Gerretsen
  attn: Kevin Raymond,
  777 Bay St, 17th floor,
  Toronto, ON M5G 2E5

further information on Mail-in Ballots