The membership of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) are being asked to vote on some proposed changes to the band’s election act.
Five possible changes are being presented to membership, one of the biggest possible changes involves electronic voting and if adopted would allow membership to vote in elections electronically. LLRIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson explained the First Nation did have electronic voting in their most recent election as the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to have in person voting.
“With the new election act changes they’ll be a provision in there that provides for electronic voting for members who want to vote electronically, whether their on or off reserve,” she said.
The band’s use of electronic voting for the most recent election got good feedback from membership. Cook-Searson said many people were happy to get the chance to be able to take part in the vote with many being able to do so from well outside their home communities.
“We even had membership vote in B.C., in Spain and across the north in our communities, we had a lot of people that chose to vote on line,” she said.
Another one of the proposed amendments to the act involves the nomination process. Currently in order to get nominated and get on the ballot potential candidates need to attend a nomination meeting in person. The proposed changes would allow for people to be nominated by submitting paperwork.
Another eligibility requirement is also being put to voters, under the current elections act people who owe the First Nation or one of the nation’s companies any money are not allowed to run. An amendment on the ballot would change this to make it so that only those with outstanding debts of over $1,000 would be barred from running. People with smaller outstanding debts will be allowed to run but must have an agreement in place to repay what they do owe.
Cook-Searson said the hope is that a number of the proposed amendments will make it so more people can be part of the process whether as voters or candidates.
“It makes it more accessible and also opening it up for candidates, if they can’t make it to a nomination meeting,” she said.
The band is as well looking at making a change when it comes to the administration of elections, with a proposal calling for the creation of a three person committee to oversee appeals from those who have concerns about an election. Under the current elections act these appeals are overseen by the same tribunal which is in charge of running the election. Another proposed amendment would also allow for the creation of a code of conduct to help govern elections and set out rules for campaigns.
Cook-Searson said there are usually appeals after every election and that concerns were brought forward by people when it came to the elections tribunal hearing appeals.
“One of the appellants had said it shouldn’t be them, the election tribunal that over sees the appeal process and then it was other people had mentioned that they would prefer a separation,” she said.
Voting will be running alongside Treaty Days celebrations in LLRIB communities, with Stanley Mission being the first community to have the chance to vote Monday. For any changes to be adopted the band needs at least 10 per cent of people on the voters list to cast ballots
“Hopefully we have a lot of participation in the voting of the proposed amendments to the elections act,” said Cook-Searson.
(PHOTO: Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson. Photo courtesy Tammy-Cook Searson Facebook page.)