Today's the municipal election. Here's what you need to know
In-person polls open at 10 a.m., all polls close at 8 p.m.
It's here — today is the municipal election.
People in Waterloo region will vote for municipal candidates in their city and township, including a mayor and councillor, as well as a trustee in their school board and regional chair as part of the Ontario-wide elections.
People living in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo will also vote for a regional councillor.
Depending on where you live, there may be different rules about how to vote. Below we have information based on local municipalities:
The City of Kitchener notes peak voting times in the city are when voting locations first open and after 5 p.m., so people may want to consider voting at other times in the day. Bringing along the voter notification card and valid ID will speed up the time it takes to vote.
If you are still in line to vote at 8 p.m. on Oct. 24, stay there as you will still be allowed to cast a ballot.
If you still haven't decided who to vote for in this election, click here for CBC K-W's full coverage of the municipal election, including candidate profiles and video panels with mayoral and regional chair candidates.
Be sure to return to the CBC Kitchener-Waterloo website this evening for full coverage of the results.
Cambridge
Cambridge is allowing people to vote online or in-person.
Internet voting closes tonight at 7:59 p.m.
In-person voting will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Each ward has four locations and people can attend any of the locations within their ward to vote.
People can also go to city hall at 50 Dickson St., which is a fully-accessible voting location and where accessible voting devices such as hand-held touchpads, paddles and "sip and puff" assistive technology will be available to help people cast their ballot.
Read more from CBC K-W:
Kitchener
Voting is in-person in Kitchener.
People can vote between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. at any of the locations within their ward listed on their voter card. All sites are accessible and one location in each ward will have accessible vote tabulators on voting day.
People experiencing homelessness can vote by using the address of a location where they most often have returned to sleep or eat in the last five weeks, such as a shelter or drop-in centre. In this case, people will be asked to fill out and sign an affidavit of residence.
Read more from CBC K-W:
North Dumfries
People in North Dumfries can vote via the internet or use traditional paper ballots.
Online voting closes at 8 p.m. tonight.
People can vote in-person at ward specific locations from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In North Dumfries, the following races have been acclaimed:
- Mayor Sue Foxton.
- Ward 2 Coun. Derrick Ostner.
- New candidate Alida Wilms in Ward 3.
- New candidate Scott Tilley in Ward 4.
People in Ward 1 will still be required to vote for a councillor and all residents will vote for regional chair and school board trustees.
Read more from CBC K-W:
Waterloo
People can vote in-person in Waterloo.
People should have received a voter information card with ward specific information on where they should go to vote. The city also has six locations where anyone in Waterloo can go to vote:
- Waterloo City Centre.
- Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.
- John M. Harper Library.
- RIM Park.
- University of Waterloo — Student Life Centre.
- Wilfrid Laurier University — Concourse.
The city also offers specific tips to students about voting and notes anyone who is a Canadian citizen, 18 years of age and older and the resident, land owner or tenant in the city can vote in the election.
"Students are allowed to vote in two municipalities if you live in Waterloo for educational purposes and your home is in another Ontario municipality," the city's website says.
"Your home is the residence you regularly return to when not attending school. This could be a place you live independently or your family home. If you do not plan to return to the municipality where your home is when you finish your education, you can only vote in Waterloo."
Read more from CBC K-W:
Wellesley
People in Wellesley can vote by phone or internet until 8 p.m. tonight.
There is also a voter help centre at the township's administrative office, at 4639 Lobsinger Line in St. Clements. It will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. today.
In order to vote, people will need to input their year of birth, voter ID and PIN. The township says this information is included in a voter information letter that was mailed to people in early October.
In Wellesley, three races have been acclaimed:
- Mayor Joe Nowak.
- Coun. Shelley Wagner in Ward 1.
- New candidate Lori Sebben in Ward 2.
Voters in Ward 3 and Ward 4 will vote for a councillor. Everyone will vote for regional chair and school board trustees.
Read more from CBC K-W:
Wilmot
People can vote online or by phone until 8 p.m. tonight. There is no in-person voting on Monday.
The township says it made the decision to run the election this way to "ensure accessibility for all voters." The township notes telephone voting is not compatible with rotary phones.
Read more from CBC K-W:
Woolwich
People in Woolwich will be able to vote by internet, telephone or in-person.
Internet and telephone voting will close at 8 p.m. tonight.
In-person voting will only take place today from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at three locations:
- Woolwich Memorial Centre.
- Breslau Community Centre.
- St. Jacobs Fire Hall.
The township has also set up a voter help centre for people who have questions about how to vote online or by phone, to update or add their information on the voters' list or other election-related questions.
Read more from CBC K-W:
Regional chair and council
There are three people running for regional chair and many candidates running for regional council. Of the eight elected regional councillors, six are not seeking re-election.
Read more from CBC K-W:
School board trustee races
The municipal election isn't just about municipal councils. Voters can also cast ballots for candidates for local school boards, even if they do not have a child in school.
Read more from CBC K-W:
Other frequently asked questions
What do I bring with me to vote?
You should bring a voter information card if you received one. You will need valid identification that must include your name and address. If you do not have ID, you can bring a rental agreement with your name and address and sign a legal declaration at the voting location to confirm you're eligible to vote.
Do I get time off work to vote?
Voting hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and employers must provide three consecutive hours off work to vote "if your scheduled work hours would not otherwise provide you this time," the City of Waterloo's website notes.
"Your employer may choose when they provide you this time. They may not deduct from your pay or impose any other penalty for taking this time to vote."
How do I choose which school board to vote for?
The North Dumfries website notes the school board trustee people vote for is automatically English public unless the tenant or owner of a property makes a point of advising the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).
Can I vote in every municipality where I own property?
The North Dumfrires website notes if you own property in the township but live in another municipality, you can vote as a non-resident in the local election.
If you own property in the township and another area of the Region of Waterloo, then on the second ballot, you must abstain from voting for regional chair as well as in the school board election.
If you own two pieces of property, both of which are in a city or township, you can only vote in one ward councillor race and you will be registered to vote in the ward in which you reside.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
