1. Lesson 7: The Voting Process

2. 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?

3. Who is able to vote? To be able to vote in provincial elections, you must: –Be 18 years or older on election day, –Be a Canadian citizen, –Have lived in P.E.I. for at least six months before the government called the election.

4. What is a polling division? Each electoral district is divided into smaller areas called polling divisions. There are 291 polling divisions in P.E.I. during provincial elections. A polling station is the voting location set up for each polling division where citizens go to vote.

5. How do I receive a ballot? When you arrive at your polling station, you will be asked for your name and the poll clerk will check for it on the official list of electors. –If your name is on the list, you will be issued a ballot to vote and your name will be crossed off the list. –If your name is not on the list, you will be required to give your full name and address, and take an oath prior to being provided with a ballot.

6. How does the voting process work? 1.The poll clerk writes the name of the voter in the poll book, 2.The deputy returning officer gives the voter a folded ballot, 3.The voter marks their ballot behind a privacy screen, 4.The voter returns their folded ballot to the deputy returning officer to check that it is an official ballot, 5.The deputy returning officer either places the ballot in the ballot box or gives it back to the voter so they may place it in the ballot box.

7. How do I mark my ballot? A ballot lists the names of the candidates and their political party running in your electoral district. Voting is done by secret ballot. This means no one except the voter knows the choice that was made. The voter must clearly mark the ballot for one choice for it to be valid (e.g., checkmark, X, shading in).

8. Rejected and Spoiled Ballots A rejected ballot is a ballot that cannot be counted because it was not properly marked. (For example, your ballot is rejected if you try to vote for more than one candidate) A spoiled or 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.

9. What are advance polls? Voters who are away, busy or unable to vote on election day, have the option of participating in advance polls. Advance polls are held prior to election day.

10. Final Thoughts How will you prepare to vote? How do you know if you are ready to vote? Why is it important to vote? How can you encourage people to vote?