2 northwestern Ontario school board elections suspended over irregularities

Election emergencies have been declared in northwestern Ontario after irregularities were discovered in two school board races during Monday's municipal vote.

The Municipality of Shuniah made the declaration in the evening after clerk Kerry Bellamy found ballots for the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board issued to Shuniah voters didn't include all 11 candidates.

In a media release, the City of Thunder Bay said it was also declaring an emergency over the issue, but noted the problem only affects ballots cast in Shuniah, and not those in Thunder Bay.

The Thunder Bay Catholic school board race has been suspended in Shuniah.

"I want to clarify for folks that no other races are affected," Thunder Bay city clerk Krista Power told CBC News on Monday.

Power has "directed the clerks for all surrounding municipalities that encompass the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, with the exception of Shuniah, to seal and secure all ballots related to the English Language Separate School Board race," the media release states, adding no information or results may be shared publicly until Shuniah resumes its election.

Dryden emergency declared

The City of Dryden has also declared an electoral emergency, this one pertaining to the English public school board trustee race.

In a media release Monday, Dryden officials said some voters received credentials from both the City of Dryden and the Keewatin Patricia Public School Board, allowing them to cast multiple votes in the public school board trustee race.

That election has also been suspended, and voters will be able to cast ballots for English public school board trustees at a later date.