HALIFAX—Councillors have set a date for the election of their new colleague.

Former councillor Steve Craig triggered the byelection when he was elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature in June, and on Tuesday, council set the date for Oct. 5. Advance polls will start Sep. 28.

The election will be the municipality’s first to use electronic voting, meaning there will be no paper ballots. The municipality will still set up staffed polling locations, but electors will vote electronically at those as well.

One polling station will be open on Sep. 28 and Oct. 1 for advance voting and two will open Oct. 5. Citizens will be able to vote electronically any time between noon on Sep. 28 and 7 p.m. on Oct. 5.

Because council passed the election date Tuesday, candidates can register with the municipality and start fundraising and campaigning on Wednesday.

It’s also the first election where candidates have to follow the city’s new campaign finance rules, which ban donations from companies and organizations and cap donations at $1,000.

Council also approved the $250,000 budget for the election on Tuesday, which was a contentious item at a committee meeting earlier this month.

Councillor Matt Whitman previously argued in favour of alternatives like appointing a new representative for the district to save $250,000.

Some of his colleagues questioned the figure on Tuesday, but after explanations from municipal staff, they passed the budget 15-1, with only Whitman voting no.

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