LETHBRIDGE, AB – If you’re planning to vote early in this month’s civic election, Lethbridge is trying out something new this weekend.
A pair of drive-thru voting kiosks are being set up one the exhibition grounds so you can cast your ballot without ever leaving your vehicle.
Lethbridge Returning Officer, Bonnie Hilford says it should be an easy process for voters.
“You will drive into the first kiosk and receive your registration form. Then at the next kiosk you’ll drive up to we will take that registration form and check it, then give the ballots. Then the third kiosk you drive up to we will have you place the ballot into the tabulator or provide them to us to put into the tabulator,” says Hilford.
The drive-thru entrance for these polling locations will be near Bully’s Casino between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm Friday through Sunday (Oct. 8-10).
If this turns out to be a success, the City will likely offer this as a voting option on election day as well.
This in-your-vehicle voting is not only aimed at making casting a ballot more convenient for Lethbridge residents, but also it’s an extra precaution in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hilford also notes there will be two rows of kiosks so the whole process should be fairly quick as they moves vehicles through.
Last weekend was the first two advanced polls for this election with more than double the number of people casting a ballot compared with the first two early voting days for the 2017 municipal election. The hope is providing more convenient voting opportunities, like these drive-thru polling stations, will also increase overall voter turnout.