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LETTER: The rules of voting

“There is only one vote per property. If the property is owned by more than one person, only one owner is allowed to vote. The individual assigned the right to vote for the property must have the written consent of the other owners.”

Editor:

I visited the city’s new website and found lots of information, including “Grand Forks Elections” which states: “There is only one vote per property. If the property is owned by more than one person, only one owner is allowed to vote. The individual assigned the right to vote for the property must have the written consent of the other owners.”

I recall standing in line, behind a couple wishing to vote in the 2008 municipal election and the above noted rules were applied to their dismay and disappointment.

Yet some neighbours, long-term residents of Grand Forks, inform me both husband and wife have always voted in every municipal election even though they own just one piece of property in Grand Forks.  Why are the city’s municipal election rules not applied consistently?

In November 2011 there will be a municipal election, as well as three big ticket referendums (pool expansion, water system, and combined roads/water/sewer for a total of $7 million to be borrowed).

If the city’s posted voting rules are not applied consistently, the results will be skewed for all four votes.

Does the city need to clean up its voters list in preparation for the November 2011 municipal elections and referendums?

Having relocated from the Lower Mainland where every adult is allowed to vote in municipal elections, I find Grand Forks’ election rules rather restrictive.

Every time anyone purchases a product, rents accommodation, goes out for dinner, etc., they are helping to pay city taxes as business people build into the price of goods the cost of doing business (city taxes included).

Approximately two-thirds of the population of Grand Forks is denied the right to vote and influence how the city they live in is operated.

Are the current election rules something the next council should be addressing and amending?

Sylvia Treptow, Grand Forks