Edmonton Elections promises safe experience for voters in October
The first municipal election in Edmonton since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic is nearly a month away and the city is laying out their plan to provide a safe experience to voters.
The number of available polls people will be able to cast their vote at has increased from 189 during the 2017 election to 212 this year. The polling stations themselves will also be larger than in 2017 to accommodate for physical distancing.
In keeping with provincial health measures and city bylaws, masking will be required inside polling stations. Edmontonians can also expect to see additional sanitation measures and plexiglass dividers at the polls.
Additionally election workers will have to complete a pre-screening test for COVID-19 prior to their shift.
The city is also planning to launch an online tool prior to the election that will provide information on how long the wait times are at the polls so Edmontonians can plan to vote during hours with less demand.
Aileen Giesbrecht, the city clerk and returning officer for Edmonton Elections, explained the attention to safety at the polls this year.
“The Edmonton Elections team is prepared to deliver a safe election. The safety of voters and workers is one of our top priorities and we’re implementing safety measures to ensure everybody who visits a voting station feels safe.”
ADVANCED VOTING
The number of advanced voting polls for the municipal election has doubled from six in 2017 to twelve this year.
The early polls will be open from Oct. 4 to 13 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day, including Thanksgiving Day.
Advance stations will also offer an electronic ballot marker with will allow people with visual or physical disabilities to view and mark their ballots independently.
There is also a hearing loop system for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
ELECTION DAY
Election day in Edmonton is October 18. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Eligible voters can find their polling station for both advanced voting and for Election Day at Edmonton.ca/wheretovote
Voters will be filling out two ballots at the polls this year, the first being the usual municipal ballot which includes options for mayor, councillor and school trustee.
The second will be a provincial ballot which will include names for Alberta’s senate nominee, as well as two referendum questions on whether:
- to remove the principle of equalization payments from Canada’s constitution
- Alberta should remain on Daylight Saving Time (summer hours) year-round
DEADLINE FOR CANDIDACY
Aspiring candidates for mayor or city council still have time to put their name forward for consideration. Those wishing to be put on the ballet have until noon on Sept. 20 to submit their nomination paperwork and deposit.
The deadline to withdraw from candidacy is at noon on Sept. 21.
People with further questions about the nomination process can visit Edmonton.ca/forcandidates or call 3-1-1.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.