PowerPoint 7: The Voting Process

Opening Discussion Have you ever voted for something before? How was the winner decided? Did you think the process was fair? Why or why not?

Who is responsible for running provincial elections in Manitoba? Elections Manitoba is responsible for administering provincial elections, by ‑ elections and referendums to ensure they are fair and free of political influence.

When is the provincial election? Manitoba has fixed-date election legislation and, as required by The Elections Act, a general election is to be held the first Tuesday of October in the fourth calendar year following the previous election. The provincial election was postponed until the third Tuesday of the following April since the provincial election would have overlapped with the 2015 federal election campaign. The 41 st Manitoba provincial election will take place on April 19, 2016.

Who is eligible to vote? You are qualified to vote in a Manitoba provincial election if: –You are a Canadian citizen; –You are 18 years of age on or before election day; –You have lived in Manitoba for at least 6 months immediately before election day.

What must I do to vote? Voting is easier to do when you are already on the voters list (a list of all people who can vote in the next election). Before election day, election workers will go door-to-door to collect names of eligible voters for the voters list. This is called enumeration. If you are missed during enumeration, you can still vote on election day as long as you bring proper identification.

Where do I vote? Each electoral division is divided into defined geographic areas called voting areas. Voters living in each voting area must vote at a specific voting place. You can find out where to vote by going to the Elections Manitoba website or by calling them.

How does the voting process work? 1.When you arrive at your voting place, an election worker greets you and directs you to the right table. 2.At your table, provide your name and address so that the election worker can check to see if your name is on the voters list. If your name is on the list, you do not need to show ID. If your name is not on the voters list, you will need to show the election worker proper ID. 3.The election worker will give you a folded ballot that has been initialed by a voting officer. 4.You will take your ballot behind a voting screen, mark your ballot for one candidate and refold your ballot for privacy. 5.Afterwards, the election worker will check that the folded ballot has the correct initials. 6.Put your ballot in the box.

How do I mark my ballot? A ballot lists the names of the candidates running in your electoral division and their party affiliation. The voter must clearly mark the ballot with a single preference for it to be valid (e.g., checkmark, X, shading in). Voting is done by secret ballot. No one except the voter knows the choice that was made.

Rejected, Declined and Spoiled Ballots A rejected ballot is a ballot that cannot be counted because it was not properly marked (e.g., if someone voted for more than one candidate). A voter may also choose to use their vote to express their unhappiness with the options given. This is called a declined ballot. This is done by writing “declined” on the front of the ballot instead of marking it for a candidate. A spoiled ballot is one that was kept separate and never placed in the ballot box because a voter made a mistake when marking it or it was torn and exchanged for a new ballot.

What is advance voting? Electors who are away, busy or unable to vote on election day have the option of advance voting. Advance voting is held for eight days at various locations before the election.

Final Thoughts Are you ready to vote? Why or why not? What else do you want to know or research before making your decision? How can you encourage eligible voters who you know to cast their ballot?