Information for Voters

Information for Voters

Why Vote 

The community is shaped by the outcome of an election. Every Canadian citizen has the right to vote. It is how Canadians choose which leaders represent them. Voting is a responsibility that all Canadians should exercise. Voting connects citizens with the political process and with each other. When you take part in an election and express your view, you make democracy work.

In the next municipal and school board elections in Englehart, eligible citizens will vote to elect their Mayor, Councillors and School Board Trustees.

Voting for a Mayor and Councillors gives you a say in the direction the Town of Englehart will take. This includes changes and additions to services that impact the people of Englehart, such as infrastructure, parks, recreation programs, by-law services, and more.

School Board Trustees are elected to make decisions on budgets and facilities in your school system

Qualifications

A person is entitled to be an elector at an election held in a local municipality (unless prohibited by this MEA or any other Act) if, on Voting Day (Monday, October 24, 2022), they:

  • are a Canadian citizen,
  • are at least 18 years old,
  • Reside in the local municipality, or is the owner or tenant of land in the local municipality, or the spouse of such a person; and
  • are not prohibited from voting under any law.

  Residence

A person's residence is the permanent lodging place to which, whenever absent, they intend to return.

The following rules apply in determining a person's residence:

  1. A person may only have one residence at a time;
  2. The place where a person's family resides is also their residence, unless they move elsewhere with the intention of changing their permanent lodging place;
  3. If a person has no other permanent lodging place, the place where they occupy a room or part of a room as a regular lodger to which they habitually returns is their residence.

  Resident Elector (Voter)

A resident elector is where a person lives, and is eligible to vote in that municipality's election. A person is only allowed to have one residence.

Non-Resident Elector (Seasonal Resident)

If a person lives in one municipality, but owns or rents property in another municipality, then they are a non-resident elector and able to vote in that municipality's election.

Spouse of Non-Resident Elector

If a person lives in one municipality, and qualifies as a spouse of a non-resident elector, then they are able to vote in that municipality's election.

  Homeless Persons

Persons without a permanent residence may also qualify to be added to the Voters' List during the revision period by submitting an application to the Clerk. If a person has no permanent residence or lodging place, the following rules apply in determining his or her residence:

  1. The place to which the person most frequently returned to sleep or eat during the five weeks preceding the determination is their residence.
  2. If the person returns with equal frequency to one place to sleep and to another to eat, the place to which they return to sleep is their residence.
  3. Multiple returns to the same place during a single day.
  4. A person's affidavit regarding the places to which they returned to eat or sleep during a given time period is conclusive, in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

  Students

A person may have residences in two local municipalities at the same time if the person lives in one of the local municipalities in order to attend an education institution, but not with the intention of changing their permanent lodging place, and the person's permanent lodging place is in the other local municipality.

This means that students are able to vote in the municipality where they attend school and also in the municipality where they live.

  Electoral Status for School Boards

The English Public School Board is the default for a voter unless they are qualified to be a separate or French school board supporter.

'Supporter' means which school board the school portion of the property taxes goes to.

Your status for school board election purposes is shown on the Voters' List. A voter may apply to correct their school board support as noted on the Voters' List during the revision period (Thursday, September 1, 2022 up to and including Voting Day, Monday October 24, 2022). Qualifications and definitions of the categories of school electors are found in the Education Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms:

  • Voters must be Roman Catholic and be otherwise qualified as electors to be separate school electors. Voters must have French Language Education Rights to be supporters for French language school board.
  • Non-resident owners or tenants, or spouses of owners or tenants of commercially and industrially assessed lands are not eligible to vote for school board purposes.


  Proxy Voting

If you are an eligible elector, you may appoint another person to vote on your behalf. This person is known as a “Proxy” voter. This person must be a qualified elector and someone you trust (the voters' list will be checked for this purpose). You cannot appoint more than one voting proxy or act as a voting proxy for more than one other person. However, this restriction does not apply if the proxy and the other person are spouses or siblings of each other, parent and child, or grandparent and grandchild.

You may obtain a Form 3 - Appointment of Voting Proxy by calling 705-544-2244 during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 9:00a.m. to 4:30 p.m on or after September 1st, 2022

Box A on the form will be completed at the time you obtain the proxy certificate from the Municipal Clerk. The person you appoint as a proxy must then bring in the proxy certificate with your signature on it, show proof of their identity, and have it certified by the Municipal Clerk at Town Hall.

Please note that Election Officials at the voting station will not accept uncertified, faxed or photocopied proxy certificates at the voting place.

The following rules apply to the issuance of Proxy Certificates:

  • Only original signatures will be accepted on the proxy forms.
  • The name of the person appointed as the voting proxy must be filled in on the form at the time it is signed by the elector who is appointing the proxy.
  • The proxy certificate must be completed at the Office of the Municipal Clerk where the elector appointed will take the declaration.
  • The proxy certificate will be officially certified by the Municipal Clerk or designate.
  • The Register of Proxy Appointments will be completed at the time when the form is brought to the Office of the Municipal Clerk - The proxy certificate is a public document and may be inspected by any person during the election process.
  • The appointment does not remain in effect after Voting Day.

Identification (ID) is needed when you go to vote

You only need to have 1 acceptable piece of ID.

Your ID must be either an original, certified or notarial copy and show your name and qualifying address.

Since the adoption of Ontario Regulation 304/13, the following is the only list of acceptable identification (ID) that is required in order to have your identity verified.

Remember to bring 1 piece of ID showing your name and qualifying Englehart address.

 

If you don't have acceptable I.D. you will be asked to come back to the polling station with one prior to receiving a ballot.

Types of acceptable identification showing name and Englehart address:

  • Ontario issued photo card, driver’s licence or motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion).
  • Cancelled personalized cheque, credit card or bank account statement.
  • Utility bill for hydro, telephone or cable TV, water, gas or a bill from a public utilities commission.
  • Cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer.
  • Statement of direct deposit for Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program.
  • Property tax assessment, income tax assessment notice, Child Tax Benefit statement.
  • Mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement.
  • Transcript or report card from a post-secondary school.
  • Document showing campus residence, issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution.
  • Any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or a document issued or certified by a court in Ontario.
  • Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada).
  • Insurance policy or insurance statement.
  • Loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution.
  • Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E.
  • Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS), Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P), Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions.
  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007.
  • CNIB card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities.
  • Document showing residence at a long-term care home under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, issued by the Administrator for the home.
  • Hospital card or record.

If you are a person on the voters' list but do not have proof of identity and proof of residence you will be required to complete a Declaration of Identify (Form 9) at a voting location prior to voting.


Are you on the Voters' List for the 2022 Municipal Election?

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for compiling information from eligible Ontario voters to create a Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) for the municipal and school board elections.

To make sure you are on the list and to ensure that your information is accurate (residence, mailing address, spelling of name, date of birth) visit: voterlookup.ca to register, confirm details and update any information that may not be current.

 

Voters' List (Preliminary List of Electors - PLE)

The preliminary list of all electors (PLE) will be available in the Municipal Clerk’s Office on Friday, September 2, 2022. Candidates will be provided with a physical copy of the Voters' List for election purposes only. 

Electors should confirm that their names and relevant information (including school board support) is correct.

On Thursday, September 1, 2022, applications for additions or corrections or deletions from the list may be made by completing and filing a revision form at the Municipal Clerk's office at Town Hall. This can also be done at the Advance Polls and on Voting Day. All applications for revision must be in the designated form, properly completed and signed. Photo-identification and proof of qualifying address will be required.

The last day for filing concerning additions, corrections or deletions is Monday, October 24, 2022.