Municipal and School Board Elections - Voter Information

1. Am I qualified to vote for municipal council?
2. Am I qualified to vote for school board?
3. Am I qualified to vote for African Nova Scotian Member of a School Board?
4. Am I qualified to vote for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP)?
5. How do I find out about elections in my municipality?
6. What offices and other matters can I vote for on October 18th?
7. How do I find out if I am on the voter's list? How do I get added to the voter's list?
8. Can I vote if I am not on the voter's list?
9. What if I am going to be away on October 18th (election day)?
10. Where do I Vote?

1. Am I qualified to vote for municipal council?

To vote for council, an elector must

• be 18 years of age on ordinary polling day (October 18, 2008)
• be a Canadian citizen
• have been ordinarily resident in the municipality for 3 months preceding ordinary polling day (since July 18, 2008), and continue to reside there on election day

*There are some disqualifications for voting; see the Municipal Elections Act

2. Am I qualified to vote for school board?

To vote for school board, an elector must

• be 18 years of age on ordinary polling day (October 18, 2008)
• be a Canadian citizen
• have been ordinarily resident in the school region for 3 months preceding ordinary polling day (since July 18, 2008), and continue to reside there on election day
  
  The school region is the area under the jurisdiction of the school board.

3. Am I qualified to vote for African Nova Scotian Member of a School Board?

To vote for the African Nova Scotian member of a school board, an elector must

• be qualified to vote for the school board, and
• be an African Nova Scotian or a black person, or the parent or guardian of an African Nova Scotian or a black person

4. Am I qualified to vote for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP)?

To vote for CSAP, an elector must

• be qualified to vote for the school board, and
• be an "entitled person" within the meaning of the Education Act. An "entitled person" is a person
• who is a Canadian citizen and
• whose language first learned and still understood is French, or
• who received his or her primary school instruction in a French-first-language program, or
• of whom any child has received his or her primary school instruction in French-first-language program

* Note: for the purposes of this provision, a person who is a guardian or acting in loco parentis to a child and who is not otherwise qualified to vote for CSAP is not an considered to be an entitled person.

5. How do I find out about elections in my municipality?

Every municipality has a returning officer who administers the election in the municipality.Your municipal returning officer is your most important source of information about your municipal and school board elections.

6. What offices and other matters can I vote for on October 18th ?

Because some municipal and school board offices may be acclaimed, there may not be a council or school board election in every municipal or school board district in the Province. 

To find out exactly what offices and matters you will be voting for in your polling district on election day, watch for the Notice of Poll which will appear in your local newspaper(s) following the close of nominations. Nomination Day is September 9, 2008.

7. How do I find out if I am on the voter's list? How do I get added to the voter’s list?

Every municipality will advertise how, when and where you can find out about whether you are on the voter's list or about revising the voter's list. Contact your returning officer, watch the newspapers, or check out your municipality's website for information, starting in July and August.

8. Can I vote if I am not on the voter's list?

Yes, you can be added to the voter's list on election day or at the advance poll

You must bring identification to the polling station. You can also be added to the list of electors by going the returning officer's office in your municipality between the date the list of electors is final (the date revisions are finished) up to and including October 10th, 2008, and obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility from the returning officer.

9. What if I am going to be away on October 18th (election day)?  

Advance Polls - Electors who expect to be unable to vote on ordinary polling day (election day) can vote at the advance poll. Every municipality will hold an advance poll on Tuesday, October 14th, from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Your municipality will also hold an advance poll which is open the same hours on either Thursday, October 9th or Saturday, October 11th. Watch for election advertising from your municipality, which provides the details on the advance polls.

Proxy Voting - Electors who cannot vote at a polling station because of illness, disability or absence from the municipality can apply to appoint a proxy voter. A proxy voter can vote on behalf of the elector who is unable to vote in person. In order to appoint a proxy voter, an elector must first apply to the returning officer in the municipality.

To qualify, the elector must be on the list of electors, and must complete an application form. There are restrictions on who can be a proxy voter for someone else.

The last day to apply for a proxy vote is October 10, 2008. Once an elector has appointed a proxy voter, the elector CANNOT vote in person, unless the proxy vote is cancelled.

Contact your returning officer for an application form and information about proxy voting.

10. Where do I Vote?

Your municipality will tell you where to vote in the Notice of Poll which will appear in a newspaper circulating in your area after nominations close on September 9th, 2008. Some municipalities may provide additional notification. If you are unsure, contact your returning officer in your municipality, or check your municipality.

You must vote in the polling division where you are ordinarily resident on Election Day (October 18, 2008).