Secondary PowerPoint 5: The Voting Process

What is happening on Saturday, October 15, 2016?

Who is allowed to vote? An elector is someone who is qualified or eligible to vote. In order to be eligible to vote in the municipal and school board elections you must: Be 18 years of age on or before the first advance voting day; Be a Canadian citizen; Have lived in Nova Scotia for at least six months prior to the first advance voting day; Have lived in the municipality since the first advance voting day.

What do I need in order to vote? Your name must be on the list of electors (the voters list) in order for you to cast a ballot. Any elector whose name is not on the list of electors can be added to the list at the polling station when they go to vote. Voter identification is encouraged – but not necessary – to vote in the elections. People who are not on the list of electors and do not have identification when they arrive to vote can swear an oath in order to receive a ballot.

How does the voting process work? Once you confirm that you are qualified to vote, you are given a ballot. Go behind a voting screen and mark your ballot. Hand your folded ballot back to the poll clerk to check that it is a verified ballot. Once the poll clerk gives you back the ballot, you can put it in the ballot box.

Free and Fair Elections Voting across Canada is done by secret ballot. This ensures the privacy of each voter’s choice. No one except the voter knows the choice that was made. Discussion: Why is voting by secret ballot important?

Voting Methods In recent years, some municipalities have incorporated alternative voting methods, such as phone or electronic voting (e-voting). E-voting is a broad term and can be applied to various technologies that uses electronic means to help in the process of casting or counting ballots, such as voting through the Internet. Student Vote uses paper ballots and manual counting.

What races will be on my ballot? Depending on where you live, you may be able to vote for up to three positions: Mayor (head of a municipal council); Councillor (one or more members of your municipal council); School board member (you only vote for one type). District member for the regional school board; African Nova Scotian member of the regional school board; District member for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.

How do I mark my ballot? A ballot lists the names of the candidates running for each position or office in your municipality. The voter must clearly mark the ballot for their preferences for it to be valid. You can use a checkmark, X or shade in the circle.

Rejected and Spoiled Ballots A rejected ballot is a ballot that cannot be counted because the voter’s choice is not clear. (For example, your ballot is rejected if you try to vote for more than the number of candidates you are allowed to choose.) A cancelled ballot is one that was kept separate and never placed in the ballot box because it was mistakenly marked or torn and exchanged for a new ballot.

What are advance polls? Electors who are away, busy or unable to vote on election day, have the option of participating in advance polls (advance voting). Advance polls are held prior to election day. Check with your municipality for exact dates/times.

Final Thoughts How will you make your decision about who to vote for? How do you know if you are ready to vote? Why is voting important? How can you encourage eligible voters that you know to cast their ballot?