Voters in the West Island boroughs of Lachine and Pierrefonds–Roxboro have double the mayoral decisions to make when heading to the ballot box for the municipal elections Nov. 3, compared to voters living in demerged municipalities.
When they walk into their neighbourhood voting stations, they will be expected to throw their support behind not one, but two mayors plus a combination of city councillors and borough councillors. Here’s a primer on who does what at each borough hall.
Lachine’s borough council comprises one borough mayor who also serves as a Montreal city councillor, one city councillor who joins the borough mayor to defend the interests of Lachine as a whole on city council and three borough councillors, each representing one of Lachine’s three voting districts: du Canal, Fort-Rolland or J-Émery-Provost.
So, in total, each Lachine voter receives four ballots; one for mayor of Montreal, one for borough mayor, one for city councillor and one for borough councillor. The ballot the voter receives for borough councillor is based on home address.
City councillors attend borough council meetings, but borough councillors do not attend city council meetings.
Things look slightly different in the Pierrefonds–Roxboro borough, although the number of ballots a voter receives remains the same.
Residents of Pierrefonds–Roxboro vote for a Montreal mayor, a borough mayor who also serves as a city councillor, two city councillors and two borough councillors.
The number of city councillors each borough is allowed is based on population. As of 2011, Pierrefonds–Roxboro’s population was 68,410 and Lachine’s population was 41,696.
Pierrefonds–Roxboro is divided into two districts, Bois-de-Liesse and Cap-St-Jacques. Each district is represented by one city councillor and one borough councillor. Voters receive one ballot for city councillor and one ballot for borough councillor based on address.
kgreenaway@montrealgazette.com