Who can vote in municipal elections?
Anyone can vote in municipal elections (or be an eligible elector) if, on voting day, they are:
- a resident of the Town of Mississippi Mills, or an owner or tenant of land in the Town of Mississippi Mills, or the spouse of such an owner or tenant;
- a Canadian citizen;
- at least 18 years old; and
- not prohibited from voting by law.
To vote in elections for a school board trustee, you must be an owner or tenant of residential property in the area of jurisdiction of the school board, and not support any other school board. If you are not sure which board you support, this information can be found on the voters' list.
What offices will we be voting for?
Eligible electors will be able to vote for the offices of Mayor, Councillors and school board trustees.
The Mayor is elected at large by all electors. Councillors are elected by the eligible voters of each ward - two councillors for Pakenham Ward, four councillors for both Ramsay and Almonte Wards.
School board trustees are elected by zones. The board you are entitled to vote for is determined by your school support status, as shown on the voters' list, and is dependent upon your mother tongue and religion. The school boards that have jurisdiction in the Town of Mississippi Mills are:
- Upper Canada District School Board
- Catholic School Board of Eastern Ontario
- Conseil des ￩coles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario
- Conseil des ￩coles catholiques de langue franaise du Centre-Est
Why should I vote?
Your vote does makes a difference! By voting for Mayor, Councillor, and School Trustee, you help shape the future direction of the Town of Mississippi Mills. The Town provides the day-to-day services you count on - such as fire and police services, clean water, parks, public libraries. Council decides how your property tax dollars are spent and establishes the level and range of municipal services available in your community. That's why your vote makes a difference!
I am not on the voters' list, how do I get my name put on it? How do I amend my personal information on the voters' list?
Starting on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010, you will have an opportunity to amend or change your personal information on the voters' list. To do so, you can contact the Municipal Office at 613-256-2064. Provide us with your name and address, and we will send you an Application to Amend the Voters' List form. You can also pick up a copy of this form at the Municipal Offices. Just fill in the form and send it back to us. We will add your name to the voters' list or amend your information. However, we encourage you to get these changes to us before the end of September, so we can make sure your name gets on the final version of the voters' list and so you'll be able to avoid any unnecessary delays in receiving a voter's kit.
If I own more than one property in Mississippi Mills, can I vote more than once?
No. You can vote only once for the offices of Mayor, Councillor and school board trustee. Your qualifying address - where your name will be on the voters' list - will be determined by:
- your primary residence, if more than one property is owned within the Town; or
- the commercial/industrial property you own or in which you are a tenant, if
your primary residence is not within the Town.
In order to vote for a school board, you MUST be a resident. You will not be eligible to vote for school board trustee based on your commercial/industrial property.
Where do I vote?
The Town of Mississippi Mills is using a Vote By Mail system. The ballot will be delivered to your mailbox. Simply complete the ballot, place it in the secrecy envelope, seal the envelope, sign the voter declaration form stating that you are eligible to vote and have not previously voted and mail everything back in a prepaid return envelope to the Town before the deadline.
Who are the candidates?
You can view the most current list of candidates for the offices of Mayor, Councillor and school board trustee on the Town's Web site. You can also contact the Clerk's Department at 256-2064 and we will provide you with a list of the nominated candidates.
Where can I get election results?
The results will be displayed at:
Almonte & District Community Centre, 182 Bridge Street, Almonte
and on the Town's Web site. The public are invited to attend.
Where do college and university students vote?
Students who reside away from home may vote in two places; in the municipality where they attend school and in the municipality where their family resides (their "home") if it is their permanent residence.
The place where the student's family resides is also their residence unless they have moved with the intention of changing their permanent lodging.
I am not on the voters' list, how do I get my name put on it? How do I amend my personal information on the voters' list?
Starting on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010, you will have an opportunity to amend or change your personal information on the voters' list. To do so, you can contact the Municipal Office at 613-256-2064. Provide us with your name and address, and we will send you an Application to Amend the Voters' List form. You can also pick up a copy of this form at the Municipal Offices. Just fill in the form and send it back to us. We will add your name to the voters' list or amend your information. However, we encourage you to get these changes to us before the end of September, so we can make sure your name gets on the final version of the voters' list and so you'll be able to avoid any unnecessary delays in receiving a voter's kit.
My spouse died recently. How do I remove his or her name from the voters' list?
Contact the Municipal Office between Tuesday, September 7th, 2010, and Friday, October 1, 2010, and we will send you an Application to Remove Another Person's Name from the Voters' List. Fill it out and return it to the Elections Office along with a copy of your spouse's death certificate, and we will remove your spouse's name from the voters' list.
Proxy voting: Can someone else vote on my behalf?
No. The Town is using a vote by mail system. You will be getting a ballot mailed to you towards the beginning of October so there is no requirement for proxy votting. Simply follow the instructions and the mail the ballot back to the Town.
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