Revocation of Municipalities’ Authority to use Ranked Ballots

October 22, 2020

Hon. Steve Clark, MPP
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

RE: Government Bill providing for Revocation of Municipalities’ Authority to use Ranked Ballots

Dear Minister Clark,

This is to express our strong opposition to your Bill revoking Ontario municipalities’ authority to use ranked ballots in local mayoral and council elections. The local option to use ranked ballots was instituted in 2016 by the previous government, and several municipalities, including London, have adopted it.

Furthermore this revocation is being proposed without notice, consultation or any credible rationale. And in a bill addressing pandemic issues! This is reminiscent of your 2018 slashing of Toronto City Council from 47 to 25 members in the middle of an election, cancelling Regional Chair elections in Niagara and York, also without notice or consultation.

Your actions demonstrate a profound lack of respect for the public interest in democratic reform.

Respectfully submitted,

Geoff Kettel
President

cc.  Premier Ford,
MPPs Residents’Associations
Association of Municipalities of Ontario

Photo: D’Arcy Norman, licensed via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License