Another box has been checked off for possible ward boundary changes in Belleville.

A by-law suggesting a proposed realignment of the election boundaries passed first reading at Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

The new electoral system would see a shift from two wards to four wards for the 2022 municipal election, with two councillors representing each ward, which Mayor Mitch Panciuk said would offer better representation of all areas of the city and address urban and rural issues equally.

Panciuk initially brought the idea forward earlier this month for councillor discussion and, now that the by-law is moving ahead, the public will get the opportunity to weigh in and engage with the process.

“We're going to look at how we can devise a really robust process for consulting with residents, some of them will be to present them the information so they can consider the different options, and then to let us know how they feel about it,” stated Panciuk.

“I think it'll include a bit of a social media campaign and a public education campaign as well. So that we can really get more feedback, keeping in mind that, you know, people aren't usually all that engaged in the municipal level of politics,” he added.

“We have no predetermined opinion as to what we should do. We have a suggestion, and we're looking for feedback.”

The consultation process will last through much of the summer, Panciuk said, with input from residents expected to be brought back to council along with the by-law on Aug. 9 for a final decision.

Council had previously been split as to the merits of changing a ward system that has been in place since Thurlow ward amalgamated with the city of Belleville in 1998.

In other business relating to next year’s municipal election, council amended a by-law approving where council candidates can advertise.

Prospective candidates will now be allowed to use corporate city resources such as buses, bus shelters and benches, as well as space within the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, to put their names and faces on to drum up public interest in their campaigns in 2022.

In a report to council, city clerk Matt MacDonald said staff sought legal opinion on the previous prohibition of political advertising for campaign purposes in these areas and were informed that this would open the city to a potential challenge on freedom of speech infringement.