Candidate Calls For Cherryville Voting Station

Oct 3, 2018 | 10:39 AM

A candidate for school trustee for Lumby and Electoral Areas D and E, is upset no polling station will be set up in Cherryville.

School District 22 says Cherryville voters have to go to Lumby to vote in the advance polls and on Oct. 20th because the school district has partnered with Lumby and the regional district for voting day.

The Electoral Area directors have been acclaimed, leaving only a vote for school trustee.

Candidate Sheri Minard has written a letter to the school district asking it to reverse the decision.

She says it could leave people feeling frustrated and excluded.

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Minard says she’d even volunteer to help find volunteers to staff a polling station in Cherryville

“I have asked the three governing bodies why this decision was made and what it would take to reverse the decision,” says Minard in a statement. “Cherryville is a small rural community. The elementary school serves as one of the foundations of that community and because of this, the vote for our School Trustees are just as important as a vote for the Electoral Director and should warrant a polling station on October 20th. Parents and voters should have the opportunity to cast their vote in their community.”

Minard say making Cherryville voters drive 25 minutes to Lumby to vote feels like their ability to vote from within their community has been taken away.

“It feels unjust.”

A request for comment from Lynn Jameson, Chief Election Officer for School District 22, produced the following response:

“We understand some members of the community have expressed concern about the location of the polling stations.

We are working in conjunction with the Village of Lumby, and following the Local Government and School Acts, with regards to voting places and have selected a location that will be more convenient for a majority of electors in the Village of Lumby and Electoral Areas D & E.

We encourage eligible electors in the Village of Lumby and Electoral Areas D & E to attend advance voting opportunities on:
-October 10, 2018 from 8 am to 8 pm at the Village of Lumby Office (1775 Glencaird Street, Lumby)
-October 17, 2018 from 8 am to 8 pm at the Vernon School District Office (1401-15 Street, Vernon)
-October 20, 2018 from 8 am to 8 pm at the Village of Lumby Office (1775 Glencaird Street, Lumby).”

by Tom Mark