City of Kawartha Lakes council has endorsed April 10 as by-election day to fill the vacant seat at the council table, which represents the municipality’s Ward 5 area, with internet voting as an alternative voting option.
During a special meeting on Tuesday (January 14), council heard from city clerk Cathie Ritchie and reviewed her report about the 2025 by-election and internet voting method.
Ritchie also brought forward a bylaw to authorize a by-election and an alternative voting method for the City of Kawartha Lakes, which council passed.
“We’ve selected April 10, which is a Thursday, for the voting day,” Ritchie told council.
“From there, we had to back up to have our 10 days of voting, issuing the PIN letters, making sure we close nominations so letters can be printed, and opening nomination day as early as tomorrow morning by appointments (for those interested in running).”
She said the city’s website will be updated to include candidates for Ward 5.
Ward 5 includes most of Lindsay. The position is vacant because previous Ward 5 councillor Eric Smeaton announced his resignation effective November 1, 2024, citing health and personal reasons.
Following the April 10 election, the Ward 5 councillor-elect will take his or her oath of office on Tuesday, April 22.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Ward 6 councillor Ron Ashmore spoke up to share his concerns about telephone voting not being an option for the upcoming by-election.
Ashmore mentioned the city’s previous “10 days and two ways” approach to voting in an election. For the 2022 municipal election in the City of Kawartha Lakes, voters were given 10 days and two ways to cast their ballot in addition to in-person voting.
They could vote online or by telephone anywhere they had a connection, and voting assistance was also available with computers and touchscreen kiosks at city hall on Francis Street and at other locations throughout the community.
“I think we’re going to cut out at least 10 to 15 per cent of people who can’t vote because they can’t access it because they don’t have internet, but they have a phone,” Ashmore said.
At the regular council meeting on November 19, 2024, council considered a report related to the declaration of vacancy and options for replacement for the position of councillor Ward 5. The purpose of that report was to declare the office of councillor for Ward 5 as vacant and to provide the legislative options that were available to council so the method to fill the vacant position could be determined.
At that meeting, council chose to fill the vacant position of Ward 5 through the process of a by-election that only included internet voting as the alternative voting method. To allow for telephone voting in the by-election, council would have to rescind the portion of council’s November 19 decision about the alternative voting method.
Deputy clerk Joel Watts told council that adjusting the process at this point to allow for telephone voting may result in additional time and cost, adding that internet voting is “far more secure” than telephone voting. He noted the by-election could serve as a “good test case” for the 2026 municipal election to determine if not having a telephone voting option raises significant concerns among the public.
After some discussion, council voted against rescinding the November 19 decision and then voted to pass the by-law.
