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How to: Vote

THUNDER BAY -- It’s almost time to vote after a long provincial campaign. Voters across Ontario will determine the next provincial government on Thursday, five weeks after the election was called.
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(tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY -- It’s almost time to vote after a long provincial campaign.

Voters across Ontario will determine the next provincial government on Thursday, five weeks after the election was called.

Are you unsure about voting procedures in Ontario? If so, or you need a basic refresher, we have you covered.

Who can vote?
Anybody who is 18-years-old, a Canadian citizen who resides in electoral district and has not already voted is eligible to head to the polls.

Who can you vote for?
The province is divided into 107 ridings, each with multiple candidates looking to represent the area in the provincial legislature. Voters have the option to select one candidate from the riding in which they live.

Where do you vote?

Within each of those ridings, there are many different polling stations. Voters are assigned a designated polling station that is closest to their residential address.

When can you vote?
Polls open at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday and anybody who is in line prior to polls closing at 9 p.m. ET can cast their ballot
If you were unable to vote at an advance poll and can’t make it to a polling station you can still vote.
In that case, voters can request a special ballot to either vote in person before Thursday or can mail a ballot.

What happens when you show up to the polls?
Each polling station has a list of eligible voters. Voter registration cards were sent out in the mail earlier in the campaign and they list the voters’ name, address and a specific polling station.

When you arrive at the polling station you must have proper documentation to confirm your identity.

Those who are on the voters’ list need to bring their voter card and present a birth certificate, passport or any government issued document, financial statement, student card or employee identification card.

If the voter card is not present a second piece of identification is required.

If you fit the above criteria of an eligible voter and aren’t on the list and didn’t get a card you can still cast a ballot.

Eligible voters not on the list need to have one piece of identification with both a name and residential address such as an Ontario Photo Card, driver’s license, motor vehicle permit or statement of government benefits.

In addition, a second form of ID is required. That can include anything from any government issued document, financial statement, cheque stub or T4 slip, hospital record or post-secondary documents.

Once you confirm your identity, you are ready to vote. By law, voters in the province have many rights, including that their vote is confidential and free of interference. There are accessibility and interpretive aids available at polling stations.
 





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