The Town of Drumheller appointed its Returning Officer for the upcoming municipal election in October of this year.
In previous years, the nomination period would open in June of the election year; however, this was changed for the 2021 election and the nomination period opened on January 1, 2021.
“Normally (the Returning Officer) is the Director of Corporate Services,” Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Darryl Drohomerski told the Mail. “In the absence of one, it defaults to the CAO.”
Drohomerski added, “Basically (the role) is to make sure the election is held fairly and transparently.”
The Returning Officer is required to choose voting locations, recruit and train election workers for both advanced polls as well as the October 18 election, and provide potential nominees with information on the roles and expectations of council members.
While the change in the nomination period may be beneficial in larger municipalities, such as Calgary and Edmonton where candidates may need more time to campaign and fundraise, Drohomerski notes “it seems pretty early” for other, smaller municipalities and has “caught people off guard.”
So far, Drohomerski says he has received some inquiries for general information about the upcoming election, as well as some nominations, but there has been “no real, significant interest to date.”
Anyone interested in becoming a member of council is encouraged to reach out to CAO Drohomerski for more information.
