Editor's note: An earlier version of this article indicated that no investigation into this incident could be found on record. It was later confirmed that there is an open investigation and the article has been corrected to indicate this.
Some Oro-Medonte residents are crying foul over mayoral candidate Harry Hughes attending local polling stations. But, according to Hughes, it’s all being blown out of proportion.
On Oct. 13 at the advance vote held at the township office, Hughes was present acting as a scrutineer.
In a letter sent to Village Media, resident Paul Sanderson said he was offended by Hughes attending the polling station at township offices on Saturday, where, Sanderson says, he talked to voters.
“What was not OK was Hughes’ mingling and greeting with the voters in the queue and complaints were made to the town clerk,” wrote Sanderson. Sanderson attached a complaint made to the township by resident Ann Honeywood.
In the email, Oro-Medonte clerk Karen Way wrote to Honeywood: "Mr. Hughes was informed of the rules that he was not allowed to converse with the voters, and he subsequently left the voting location."
In an interview this week with Village Media, Way stressed she never asked Hughes to leave the advance vote.
“There might be information out there that I asked him to leave, but that is not accurate information,” said Way.
According to Harry Hughes, the issue is a non-issue, which is becoming a common occurrence this election as one of many attacks on him by opponents.
“That is so erroneous, it’s incredible,” said Hughes. “I was in the voting poll to see how the voting was going. A number of people know me, and they said hello. That’s all that happened.”
When reached for an interview on Tuesday, Hughes said he was outside of a voting poll saying hello to residents as they left. He was at the voting location on Saturday acting as a scrutineer, which is allowed under the Municipal Act.
“When you work in a community and you’re the mayor, people come up and say hi,” said Hughes. “Quite frankly, what’s happening is there’s a group that’s out there trying to project everything on me they possibly can. Even if I say hello to somebody, they’re trying to indicate that I’m in violation.”
“There are rules at the voting poll, and if you violate them, you’re asked to leave,” Hughes continued. “Nobody asked me to leave. The clerk asked me to stop talking to people... and I did.”
This isn’t the first time Hughes has seen controversy this election cycle.
Back in June, Hughes was asked to take down his website harryhughes.ca after complaints from Sanderson to the town clerk that it contravened corporate policy as it contained township-owned photography and contact information.
While the website was created earlier that year as a way for the mayor to communicate with residents, as of the May 1 nomination period deadline, it became a campaign tool and therefore contravened the Municipal Act.
According to the township’s policy covering use of corporate resources for election purposes, “no candidate shall use any equipment, supplies, services or other resources of the municipality for any election campaign or campaign related activities.”
As Hughes complied within seven days, no further action was required.
But Hughes has his own issues with the way candidates and special interest groups are acting, saying many of his election signs have been destroyed or removed. He says he’s contacted the OPP and asked them to conduct an investigation into the causes and culprits.
“That investigation is going on right now, so I don’t know how much I can divulge,” he said.
Barrie OPP confirmed that there is an open investigation into the incident.
Back at the township, Way says that any formal complaint about signage is investigated.
