By Вen Li
It’s election time again. Are you among the 20 million registered voters?
According to Elections Canada media contact Andrea Marantz, those registered will receive a personalized Voter Information Card in the mail.
"By the end of [the] week, you should have received your VIC," said Marantz. "It will have the address and hours of the polling station [and] the name and address of the returning officer for your polling district."
To cast your ballot, simply bring identification and your VIC to your designated polling station Nov. 27. For students living away from their home districts, however, the process may not be that simple. Some may not receive a VIC if their ordinary residence is not in Calgary.
"[They] can go to any returning office and say that they would like a Special Ballot for their home district," said Marantz. "Students should bring their driver’s licence and a piece of ID with their signature to the office."
Electors must register with a Returning Officer by Nov. 21 and their ballot must arrive in Ottawa by 6 p.m. local time on Nov. 27 to vote by Special Ballot.
Students living away from home also have the option of registering at a targeted revision–meaning that they will be added to the voter’s list of their new riding.
"If they want to vote for someone [in Calgary West] at revision, they can do that," said Calgary Nosehill Returning Officer Marilla Sibernagel. "The catch would be that they could only vote for one of the Calgary West candidates."
Elections Canada officials will be on campus to facilitate targeted revision and polling.
"On election day, there will be three polling places in the Dining Centre," said Sibernagel. "The polling hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m."
Students unable to attend the regular polling stations may also make use of the advance polls listed on their VICs. Polling stations will also accept last-minute voter registrations on election day.
"Electors may register in person on election day at their polling stations," reads documentation from Elections Canada. "To register, an elector must show valid proof of identity and address, or make a sworn statement of identity and
address. In the latter case, the elector must also be vouched for by another elector already registered in the same polling division."
Details about the registration and polling processes can be obtained from Elections Canada; their Web site is <<www.elections.ca>> and their phone number is 1-800-INFO-VOTE.
Electors who did not receive a VIC or received a VIC with incorrect particulars should contact a returning officer or Elections Canada immediately.