A record number of Canadians took part in early voting over the Thanksgiving long weekend, a four day period that saw a 25% increase in turnout compared to last election. Still, many more held off, deciding to cast their ballot on the big day, Oct. 21. This guide is for you.
AM I ELIGIBLE?
You are eligible to vote if you are a Canadian citizen, 18-years-old or older on election day and registered to vote. If you aren’t registered, you can do so on election day with a combination of the proper documents listed below.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
With a voter information card, you’ll still need to bring an additional piece of ID. Without one, you’ll need to prove both your identity and address in one of three ways.
The first option can come in the form of a valid government-issued piece of ID that includes your name, photo and current address — like a Driver’s Licence or Canadian passport.
Without a piece of photo identification, option two requires that you bring two pieces of identification, which can include such combinations as a voter information card and bank statement, or a utility bill and student ID card. Check our www.elections.ca for a full list of accepted ID.
Failing the first two options, you can still vote if you declare your identity and address in writing. You will need to have someone vouch for you who knows you and who is assigned to your polling station. That person will need to prove their identity and address and can only vouch for one person.
Elections Canada accepts expired pieces of identification.
WHERE CAN I VOTE?
There are 338 ridings across Canada, and odds are if you’re reading this newspaper, you likely belong to one of two: Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam or Port Moody-Coquitlam.
In Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, there are 21 regular polling sites, two polling sites in apartment buildings and six mobile sites that will visit retirement homes.
And in Port Moody-Coquitlam, there are 29 polling sites.
No matter where you are, each voter is assigned a specific polling station in B.C., open Oct. 21 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The address of your assigned polling station is on the back of your voter information card, which should have arrived in the mail by Oct. 4. You can also find it by visiting elections.ca or by calling 1-800-463-6868.
HOW DO I VOTE?
If you are voting on election day, the candidates in your riding will be listed on the ballot. Mark the circle next to your choice with a check or X, anything to make your choice clear.
WHO AM I VOTING FOR?
This being a federal election, you will cast one vote for a member of Parliament to represent your riding going forward. See The Tri-City News Election Hub for a full list of candidates and where they stand on the issues that matter to you.
