ECoB not permitted to distribute information provided by city hall at their ward level debates.

News 100 redBy Staff

September 21st, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Penny Hersh is asking:

Penny Hersh

Penny Hersh, president of ECoB

Is this what the City has come to? A grassroots citizen group is unable to provide residents with voting information?

Hersh asked the City Clerk, Angela Morgan, who is also the Returning Officer for the municipal and Board of Education elections, if she could get copies of the notices the city had on the elections and distribute them to people who attended the debates they are running in every ward of the city.

Here is the response from the city,

“Penny, Danielle (a city staff member involved in the administration of the election) forwarded your request for printed information about voting locations from city hall for distribution at the ECOB organized debates.

“As the Returning Officer for the election, I fully support community organized debates however, my role is to ensure that all events association with the City of Burlington Clerks department are completely impartial.

“I have received numerous complaints and concerns from members of the public about the ECOB, specifically that they are not impartial and the organization is vocally supporting specific candidates.

City Clerk Angela Morgan fails to ensure media alerted to Special Council meeting. Her communications people dropped the ball as well.

City Clerk Angela Morgan is also the Returning Officer for the October 22nd Municipal election.

“Given these concerns, we cannot permit the City of Burlington logo or materials to be distributed at these events. Please ask members of the public to go to our election page (address below) to get all of the information that they need to ensure they are on the list and know where to vote.”

The Gazette wonders what steps the Returning Officer took to determine if there was any truth to the information they were given.

Would the Returning Officer care to share the complaints she was given?

A video of the entire ward 5 debate is available at CLICK HERE.  The city staff running the election would be well served to watch the event and determine for themselves if ECoB is an impartial organization.

There is not a single shred of evidence to even suggest that ECoB has done anything to favour any one candidate.  The bias against ECoB at city hall is both palpable and disturbing.

Angela Morgan has provided the public with the following information.

Are you on the voters’ list?

The voters’ list contains the names, addresses and school support for each eligible voter.
Elected positions include Halton Regional Chair, Mayor and members of City Council for the City of Burlington, trustees for the Halton District School Board and Halton District Catholic School Board and Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.

To see if you are on the voters’ list:
• Go to burlington.ca/election
• Call Burlington City Hall at 905-335-7600, ext. 7481
• Visit Burlington City Hall at 426 Brant St., first floor, Clerks Department, or
• Visit any branch of Burlington Public Library.

Not on the list?
You can apply to the city clerk to add your name to the voters’ list or correct your information. If your name is not on the list or your information is incorrect, you can complete an Application to Amend the Voters’ List form.

Forms are available in the Clerks Department, first floor, Burlington City Hall, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or at the voting location on voting day. Forms must be completed in person and identification that includes your name and address is required.

Voter Information Notices
Voter Information Notices have been mailed. This notice includes your Voter Identification Number and provides dates, times and locations for voting, including Internet voting.

If you are on the voters’ list for the 2018 Burlington municipal election, you should have received your Voter Information Notice by mail by Oct. 1. If you did not receive your notice, or there are errors on your notice:

• Call the City of Burlington at 905-335-7600, ext. 7481
• Email elections@burlington.ca, or
• Visit Burlington City Hall, 426 Brant St., from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Ways to vote

Voters have options for how, where and when to vot for the Oct. 22 election.
Online Registration and Voting (Oct. 1 – Oct. 17):
• Anytime
• Have access to the Internet? If yes, vote online from anywhere
• Use your Voter Information Notice (VIN) to register and vote at burlington.ca/election

Advance Voting (Oct. 13 and 17):
• 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 13, Mapleview Shopping Centre-food court, 900 Maple Ave.
• Oct. 17, Mapleview Shopping Centre-food court, 900 Maple Ave.
• Oct. 17, Tansley Woods Community Centre- community rooms 1 and 2, 1996 Itabashi Way

Election Day (Oct. 22):
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• NEW in 2018 – Vote Anywhere your Ward
• Vote at any of the four locations in your ward.

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6 comments to ECoB not permitted to distribute information provided by city hall at their ward level debates.

  • Even though I live in ward 2 (not downtown), I have now watched two debates on-line and plan on watching all but my upcoming ward 2 debate and the mayors debate, both of which I will attend. Anyone who thinks intensification is a downtown issue should watch these debates. These on-line debates may just have the unintended consequence of bringing the city closer together, kudo’s to ECoB and its helpers. Democracy is alive in Burlington.

  • Roman

    I would like to see Angela Morgan publish VERIFIED information to support her statement that ECOB is favoring particular candidates. I look forward to her reply. If I don’t hear anything, I’ll know it’s just more biased rot from our City Staff. Please step up, Angela. Thank you.

    • Tom Muir

      Roman,

      Angelea Morgan does not answer to Gazette comments. You have to ask her personally.

      Write her with your questions.

  • Hans

    I attended the entire Ward 6 debate last night. IMO it was very professionally managed, completely unbiased and did not favour any candidate. ECoB deserves congratulations and thanks from the City for providing such a great service. The moderator was excellent.

    The incumbent missed a great opportunity to explain her position and her record for the last eight years, and to demonstrate that she respected those who made the effort to attend this important event.

  • Having watched the online version of the Ward 5 debate jointly hosted by ECOB and the UCFW, I was not able to observe any inappropriateness. The proof I believe is in the pudding, not innuendo.