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Over 70,000 voters to be notified PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 1, 1988 -- 11 Returning Office is a beehive of activity With the federal election cam- paign well underway across the country, here in the new riding of Durham, there are six candidates scrambling for the attention of the more than 70,000 eligible voters between now and voting day No- vember 21. For the candidates here in Dur- ham, and in the 295 ridings across Canada, the 50 day campaign is a gruelling one filled with long days that often start early in the morn- ing and last well into the night. One of the busiest people in Durham riding during the cam- paign is Allan McConney, and e's not running for anything. McConney, a retired high school science teacher from Ux- bridge is the Returning Officer for Durham Riding. It's his job to make sure the election runs smoothly under the regulations set down in the Canada Elections ct. : It's a big job in any riding, but here in Durham with its huge area of 1740 square kilometers, stretching some 65 miles from Returning Officer Allan McConney, clerk Betty Laswick and some of the staff West to east taking in rural areas, hamlets, small communities and arge urban areas like North Oshawa, the Returning Officer is a busy person. McConney has several full time staff working with him, but all together close to 500 part time - people will work during the cam- paign and on polling day. The Returning Office for Dur- ham is centrally located at the Li- ons Hall in Manchester, on High- way 7A two miles west of Port Perry. who are all working to make sure the federal election runs smoothly in Durham Riding. The returning office is located in Manchester. A big part of the big job for McConney and his staff Is the tails) FOR STRONG LEADERSHIP ELECT HARVEY (GRAHAM, Harvey preparation of voters lists. (see story for de- DON HARPER In an interview with the Star last week at the Returning Office amid the constant clack-clack of typewriters, McConney said the biggest and most time consuming aspect of his job is assembling the lists of voters. The names of the more than 70,000 voters have to be typed onto lists and cards notifying peo- ple that they are on the lists have to be mailed out. He said it's a long, tedious process. It is also his responsibility to train the deputy returning officers (DRO's) and all the clerks who will work at the more than 200 polls that will be open on No- vember 21 for voting. Though the official campaign (the time between the issuing of the Writ and November 21) lasts just 50 days, McConney actually started working on the election late last summer when he took a training course with other return- ing officers in Ottawa. And once the actual election is over and the candidates have put away their signs, he'll still be working on the official count. He's also required to collect and keep all the vouchers and receipts pertaining the expenses incurred by the candidates in this riding. McConney. said the sheer physical size of the riding can be a problem, and also the fact that the riding boundaries were changed about a year ago. There seems to be a degree of confusion on the part of some members of the public over the boundary and name change, plus the fact there are municipal elec- tion campaigns running at the same time. "We are getting some calls from people who say they don't know who the candidates 'are (in the federal campaign) he said. Voters in what is referred to as the "urban" areas of the riding have until November 4 to get their names on a voting list, if they were missed in the enumera- PORT PERRY * Construction Equipment * Wallpaper Steamers * Moving Equipment * Texture Machines Floor Sanders Power Tools Log Splitters * |ce Augers * Snow Blowers stands for More Seniors' Facilities COUNCILLOR -- WARD 2 tion. The "urban" areas include the town of Bowmanville, plus the City of Oshawa north of Rossland Road and Whitby, north of Taun- ton Road. The other voters in the "rural" areas can still vote on November 21 if their names are not on the lists providing they have someone with them at the polling station who can "vouch" for their identi- ty. McConney said last week he's not sure at this time what the to- tal cost will be to run the election in Durham riding, but the budget nation-wide is $112 million for the 1988 federal elections. On voting day November 21 when the polls close at 8:00 PM, the ballots are counted at the pol- ling stations with the results tele- phoned to the Returning Office in Manchester. The first returns like- ly will start rolling in within an hour after the polls close. Advance polls will be held November 12, 14 and 15. The new Durham riding takes in all of the municipality of New- castle, all of Scugog Township, Uxbridge Township and the area of Oshawa north of Rossland and in Whitby, north of Taunton Road. McConney said that any member of the public living in Durham riding is welcome to call the returning office at 985-4481 for any information, or they can call directly to the national elec- tion office in Ottawa at 1-800- 387-0700. We Deliver The NEW S Keep yourself informed...... | Read the Star weekly! 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