How many people am I voting for?
Are there any other questions on the ballot?
How do I vote?
What do I bring with me to vote?
Can I bring my kids?
What if I have to work on election day?
Can anyone go to the advanced polls? And when are they?
How many people am I voting for?
We vote for 5 different offices in a municipal election:
1) Mayor of the City or Township (1 for each city/township. Mayors also sit on Regional Council)
2) City or Township Municipal Councillor (1 for your ward)
3) Regional Chair (1 for the Region)
4) City representative Councillors on Regional Council (2 are elected for Waterloo, 4 for Kitchener, 2 for Cambridge)
5) City or Township Trustees for the School Board you support with your taxes (Public, Separate, French Public, French Separate)
Are there any other questions on the ballot?
Depending where you live, you may have one or two referendum questions on your ballot.
If you live in Kitchener or Waterloo, you will be asked if Kitchener and Waterloo should open merger talks:
“Do you support the members of Kitchener and Waterloo councils engaging in discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of merging the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo? Yes or No.”
A second question regarding fluoridation of municipal water, is asked to those who live in Waterloo, portions of Woolwich Township including Elmira and St. Jacobs, County Squire Road and the Farmer’s Market area, and a small portion of the City of Kitchener.
“Should the Region of Waterloo fluoridate your municipal water? Yes or No.”
How do I vote?
1) Determine if you are eligible to vote
Who can vote in the municipal election?
2) Decide who you want to vote for
You can find out who is running in your Ward here
3) Gather your ID
If you have a Voter Notification Letter (VNL), bring this with you, but YOU DO NOT REQUIRE a VNL to vote!
Whether or not you bring a VNL, YOU STILL NEED TO BRING VALID ID.
You require one (1) of:
-
an Ontario driver’s licence;
-
an Ontario Health Card (photo card);
-
an Ontario motor vehicle permit (plate portion);
-
a cancelled personalized cheque;
-
a mortgage, lease or rental agreement;
-
an insurance policy;
-
a loan or financial agreement with a financial institution;
-
a document issued or certified by a court in Ontario;
-
any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government; or
-
any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada).
If you cannot provide any of these forms of identification, a combination of other verifiers can be used. This is especially important for those experiencing homelessness. Please click here for a complete list.
3) Go to the polling station
You can attend an advance voting station (below) or vote on October 25, 2010 at your own Polling Station in your Ward
4) Vote
- Once inside the Voting Place you will be greeted by an Election Assistant who will direct you to the proper Polling station or if a change/addition to the Voters’ List is required, to the Revision Clerk.
- At the Polling station, you will be required to show personal identification
- Present your personal identification along with your VNL to the DRO Ballot Clerk and he/she will provide you with the proper ballot
- Take the ballot to an available voting booth to cast your vote
- To Vote you simply place an ‘x’ in the blank square to the right of the candidate(s) of your choice in each category. You must use the special pen provided in the voting booth.
- If you make an error on your ballot, go to the DRO Manager with the spoiled ballot and request a new one.
- After voting, insert fold the ballot as shown (if your ward does not have a tabulator) or insert it into the secrecy folder with the DRO Ballot Clerk’s initials exposed. Take the ballot to the DRO Manager and insert in tabulator or box as instructed.
We encourage you to check your local city/township website for additional information:
How to Vote if you are experiencing homelessness (Cambridge)
What do I bring with me to vote?
You needs to bring an acceptable form of identification.
The primary forms of identification are:
-
an Ontario driver’s licence;
-
an Ontario Health Card (photo card);
-
an Ontario motor vehicle permit (plate portion);
-
a cancelled personalized cheque;
-
a mortgage, lease or rental agreement;
-
an insurance policy;
-
a loan or financial agreement with a financial institution;
-
a document issued or certified by a court in Ontario;
-
any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government; or
-
any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada).
If you cannot provide any of these forms of identification, a combination of other verifiers can be used. This is especially important for those experiencing homelessness. Please click here for a complete list.
You can bring your Voter Notification Letter if you have one, but it is not required to vote.
Can I bring my kids?
Yes! There are no rules against children in the voting facilities, and voting takes so little time that child care should not be necessary for most families. In fact, it is very beneficial for children to observe their parents engaging in their civic responsibilities. It can open up new discussions and opportunities for you to teach them about citizenship and community participation in general.
What if I have to work on election day?
On October 25th, voting hours are from 10am to 8pm so many people will have the opportunity to vote even if they do have to work on election day.
However, the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 Section 50, indicates that if an employee does not have three consecutive hours during the voting time period to vote (10am to 8pm), the employee is allowed to be absent from work for the time it takes to vote.
If an employee has three consecutive hours that fall within voting hours and fall outside of his or her work hours, there is no obligation to provide time off from work.
Here are two examples:
Example 1: An employee works from 9am to 5pm. The employer would have no obligation to provide time off work because the voting hours continue for three consecutive hours after the end of this employee’s work day (from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.).
Example 2: A second employee works from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. Employee 2 does not have a three consecutive hours that fall within voting hours, but outside of her work hours. Therefore, the employer must provide sufficient paid time off work to provide a voting period of three consecutive hours.
If you are in a situation where you do not have three consecutive hours that fall within voting hours outside of work hours (Example 2), your employer cannot deduct pay or impose any other penalty for taking time off of work to vote.
Please contact your City Clerk for more information.
Can anyone go to the advanced polls? And when are they?
Advanced Polls are for everyone, and they make it much more convenient to vote!
Advanced Voting in Cambridge
Due to the complexity of the Cambridge Advanced Polls schedule, please refer to the official online schedule by clicking here.
Advance Voting in Kitchener
- Tuesday, October 12 – 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, October 13 – 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Saturday, October 16 – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where to vote in a Kitchener Advanced Poll – your local Community Centre:
- Breithaupt – 350 Margaret Avenue
- Country Hills – 100 Rittenhouse Road
- Doon Pioneer Park – 150 Pioneer Drive
- Forest Heights – 1700 Queen’s Boulevard
- Stanley Park – 505 Franklin Street North
Advanced Voting in Waterloo
Vote at Conestoga Mall on:
- Saturday, Oct. 2nd from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 3rd from noon to 5 p.m.
Vote at Waterloo City Hall, at 100 Regina St. S on:
- Thursday, Oct. 7th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 8th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 15th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 16th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Advanced Voting in Township of Wellesley
At Township of Wellesley Administration Office, 4639 Lobsinger Line, St. Clements, ON:
Wednesday October 6th, 2010 from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Saturday October 16th, 2010 from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Advanced Voting in Wilmot Township
Saturday, October 2nd at Wilmot Recreation Complex, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Wednesday, October 13, Township of Wilmot Administrative Complex, 11:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturday, October 16, Wilmot Recreation Complex, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Advanced Voting in Woolwich Township
Advance Vote #1 Thursday, October 7, 2010, from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Woolwich Memorial Centre – Community Room, 24 Snyder Avenue South, Elmira
Advance Vote #2 Friday, October 15, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Township of Woolwich Administration Building – 1st Floor, 24 Church Street West, Elmira
Advance Vote #3 Saturday, October 16, 2010 , from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Breslau Community Centre – Fire Place Room, 200 Woolwich Street, Breslau