BC Liberals Select Leadership Vote Method, Set Remote Locations to Determine Vote Process
Vancouver - The BC Liberal Party Provincial Executive has unanimously endorsed the use of online and phone voting for members to cast ballots for the Party’s upcoming February 26th Leadership Vote, BC Liberal Party President Mickey Patryluk said today.
“After careful consideration of a number of voting methods available for our members to cast ballots in our Leadership Vote, we have made a decision to use a blend of online and phone voting,” said Patryluk. “The ability for us to use cutting edge technology to give our members voting access from their homes, while maintaining the integrity of our electoral system, is something we’re very proud to support.”
The BC Liberal Party has selected a Canadian company, Intelivote Systems based out of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to conduct the voting for Party members during the February 26th Leadership Vote. Intelivote has been recognized as a world leader in “Anywhere Voting” solutions, conducting more electronic voting events than any other Canadian company. The company has also provided their phone and internet service for dozens of Canadian municipalities, the United Kingdom, Canadian unions and associations, and the Federal Government. Under the proposal, all BC Liberal Party members would receive secure information allowing them to vote on February 26th by either phone or internet. There will be no physical traditional polling stations.
"It’s exciting to be taking the lead in our province with respect to online participatory democracy,” said Patryluk. “The world has changed dramatically since our last Leadership race held 17 years ago, and we’re excited to be adopting new ideas that will help broaden the opportunity for people to become involved in our Party.”
On Friday, the BC Liberal Party Provincial Executive also moved to allow up to 10 Regional Venues to be set up around the province to participate in an extraordinary convention to modernize the party's constitution for the vote process set for February 12th in Vancouver. The proposed voting process will not only give all members a vote in selecting the next party leader, but also give every region of the province an equal say. If the proposed constitutional amendment receives approval of 2/3rds of delegates in attendance at the extraordinary convention on February 12th, the Leadership Vote will proceed under the new weighted voting system.
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BACKGROUNDER
BYLAW 7 – THE BRITISH COLUMBIA LIBERAL PARTY (“BCLP”) FEBRUARY 12, 2010 EXTRAORDINARY CONVENTION (“EC”)
1. The EC to be held February 12, 2010 to consider and vote upon an amendment to the BCLP Constitution concerning the leadership vote process is to be convened at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (East), Vancouver, British Columbia (the “Vancouver Convention Venue”).
2. The registration fee for each delegate to the EC be $50.00. A delegate who fails to register and pay this fee before the registration deadlines established by the Convention Committee (which may not be earlier than 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on Wednesday, February 9, 2011) will be replaced as contemplated by subsection 75(4) of the BCLP Constitution.
3. The BCLP Provincial Executive will designate and organize up to 10 regional locations (each a “Regional Venue”) throughout British Columbia for the purpose of enabling delegates to the EC to participate in and vote at the EC.
4. Delegates may participate in and vote at the EC by attending at either the Vancouver Convention Venue or a Regional Venue. When a delegate registers for the EC and pays the EC registration fee, he or she shall inform the BCLP as to whether they will be attending the EC at either the Vancouver Convention Venue or a particular Regional Venue.
5. Delegates attending a Regional Venue will be able to view the EC at the Vancouver Convention Venue by video and participate in the same by way of two-way audio dialogue with the Vancouver Convention Venue and the other Regional Venues.
