Haldimand's Unheard Voice: Haldimand "Are You On the Voters List"

Information for VOTERS

Who is eligible to vote in Haldimand County?

A person is entitled to be an elector in a municipal election if, on voting day, he or she

•is 18 years of age
•a Canadian citizen
•resides in Haldimand County or is the owner or tenant of land in Haldimand County, or the spouse of such owner or tenant
•not prohibited from voting under any law

New for 2010: As a result of the Good Government Act, before receiving a ballot, eligible voters must produce proof of identity and residence as part of their qualification to vote. Sufficient identification includes all of the following:

1. Name
2. Qualifying Address
3. Signature

An example of such ID would be a current driver’s licence or photo health card. If you do not have a piece of ID with all three components, it is possible that you may need two pieces of ID to cover all three requirements. For example a Voter Notification Card (issued by the municipality) AND a document with your signature.

Find out more about Identification that will be accepted

Who is not eligible to vote in Haldimand County?

•A person serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
•A corporation
•A person acting as an executor or trustee or in any other representative capacity, except as a voting proxy in accordance with Section 44 of the Municipal Elections Act
•A person convicted of a corrupt practice if voting day in the current election is less than five years after voting day in the election in respect of which he or she was convicted.

Am I on the Voters’ List?

Each municipality prepares a Voters’ List based on a Preliminary List of Electors provided to it by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). Municipalities utilize this list to print the Voters’ List by September 1st of the election year. In order to comply with legislation, MPAC’s Preliminary List of Electors must contain only qualified electors.

New in 2010: To meet new requirements, if MPAC does not have confirmation that local residents are Canadian citizens, those names will not be included on the preliminary list and subsequently, the Voters’ List. As a result, approximately 3300 electors have been removed from the primary voter list and will need to be updated!

In order to update their records, MPAC is sending out Municipal Enumeration Forms in the spring of 2010. If you receive this form, please complete it and return it to MPAC by June 1, 2010, ensuring that the “Canadian Citizen” category is filled out for each individual listed on the form.

Ensure you are on the voters list to decrease wait times at the poll!

How does an elector vote?

The 2010 Municipal Election Day is Monday, October 25, 2010. Eligible voters (as outlined above) can vote at their designated poll, when they provide valid identification. Locations will be posted as they become available

For electors who are not able to vote on election day, advance polls are to be held in October . Electors voting at an advanced poll can vote at any of the advanced locations. Dates and locations will be posted as they become available

There is also a provision whereby electors who are not able to vote, at either the advance poll or on Election Day, can appoint someone to vote by proxy in their place.

Proof of identity and residence will be required for all voters.

Continue reading