Call to move municipal election date due to conflict with Diwali

spaminator

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 26, 2009
35,667
3,002
113
Call to move municipal election date due to conflict with Diwali
Author of the article:Antonella Artuso
Publishing date:Sep 15, 2022 • 9 hours ago • 1 minute read • 6 Comments
Candidates have until Friday at 2 p.m. to file their nomination papers to run in the Oct. 24 municipal and school board elections.
Candidates have until Friday at 2 p.m. to file their nomination papers to run in the Oct. 24 municipal and school board elections. PHOTO BY ISTOCK /GETTY IMAGES
The Ontario government remains satisfied that all voters can be accommodated even though the Oct. 24 municipal election falls on Diwali, a major festival celebrated by several faiths.


Melissa Diakoumeas, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said municipalities have several options to assist voters who cannot go in person to polls on election day, including proxy voting, internet voting or voting by mail.


“It is up to each municipality to determine whether to have alternative voting methods based on local needs and circumstances,” Diakoumeas said in an email Thursday. “Municipal clerks have the authority to establish advance voting dates to offer voting opportunities to those who are not able to vote on Oct. 24. Advance voting can be held beginning 30 days before voting day.”

The City of Toronto has several alternative voting options, she said.

Jamaal Myers, a Toronto City Council candidate running in Scarborough’s Ward 23, said about 40% of the residents are of South Asian, East Indian, Guyanese or Trinidadian heritage and a significant number celebrate Diwali.


“They’re concerned that this would hurt turnout, particularly from these communities, and it’s just another barrier to participating,” Myers said Thursday. “I’m worried because there’s already a very real concern based on what we’ve seen in the Ontario election that this will depress turnout even further in our ward.”

The Ontario government has previously moved an election date that conflicted with a major religious holiday as the majority of people vote on the actual day, he said.

The general population would not accept an election on a Judeo-Christian holiday, and the same reasoning should be applied for Diwali, Myers said.

aartuso@postmedia.com
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
I’m at least a couple of times zones behind you and I’m up for a dispatching issue…. and just getting to my first cuppa coffee… so I read the headline as one of the Acura dealerships in Regina as I was trying to come to life.
That with a side of dyslexia &….
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
55,430
6,996
113
Washington DC
I’m at least a couple of times zones behind you and I’m up for a dispatching issue…. and just getting to my first cuppa coffee… so I read the headline as one of the Acura dealerships in Regina as I was trying to come to life.
That with a side of dyslexia &….
Two, I think. You're Mountain, right? Or is Regina Central?

Either way, as a general rule if the locals rub blue mud in their belly-buttons, easiest way is to rub blue mud in yours.

The Dude abides.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is CST all year around. In the summer, same as MDT.
Merci, y'all.
We just do our own thing, and the world flip-flops time zones around us. Sometimes I’m a couple times out from you and sometimes I’m just one.

Sometimes were the same time as Alberta and sometimes were the same time as Manitoba. Sometimes were two hours out from Vancouver and sometimes we’re only one. Sometimes were two hours out from Indiana and other times we’re only one.

My own rule of thumb is this, if the time zones get all screwed up and flip around, just put new batteries in your smoke detectors and carry-on.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,591
2,334
113
Toronto, ON
We just do our own thing, and the world flip-flops time zones around us. Sometimes I’m a couple times out from you and sometimes I’m just one.

Sometimes were the same time as Alberta and sometimes were the same time as Manitoba. Sometimes were two hours out from Vancouver and sometimes we’re only one. Sometimes were two hours out from Indiana and other times we’re only one.

My own rule of thumb is this, if the time zones get all screwed up and flip around, just put new batteries in your smoke detectors and carry-on.
Which part of Indiana?

I think they have restored some sanity but Indiana used to leave DST up to the county. On top of that the Eastern and Central boundry runs right down the middle of the state. So on any given day they could have 4 distinct time zones: EST, EDT, CST, CDT.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Which part of Indiana?

I think they have restored some sanity but Indiana used to leave DST up to the county. On top of that the Eastern and Central boundry runs right down the middle of the state. So on any given day they could have 4 distinct time zones: EST, EDT, CST, CDT.
I deal predominately with the northwest corner. Elkhart-Goshen-Middlebury and Shipshewana, etc…Mennonite country.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
55,430
6,996
113
Washington DC
Which part of Indiana?

I think they have restored some sanity but Indiana used to leave DST up to the county. On top of that the Eastern and Central boundry runs right down the middle of the state. So on any given day they could have 4 distinct time zones: EST, EDT, CST, CDT.
Arizona's like that. I don't do DST, but the Navajo rez does.

The U.S. is scratching DST next year.