Summer season is over, so now it's really election time in London

Londoners will elect a new mayor and council on Oct. 22, 2018.

​CBC London will offer election-related features for you in the coming weeks:

• A ranked ballot Q&A on Facebook Live
• A transit-focused live edition of London Morning on board a transit bus during the commute
• Vote Notes, a feature that will offer tidbits of information about the campaign happenings
• Election-focused opinion pieces written by Londoners. (Want to try your pen at this? Send us an email.)

We will ask candidates about some of the key issues that affect our city: poverty, drug use, transportation and the local economy.

But we also want to know — what you want to know. Do you have a question for the candidates, or a story idea related to the election? Let us know. 

You can follow our coverage on Twitter using the hashtag #LondonVotes.

Before anything else, here is the basic information you need to know to get you started.

Can I vote in London?

Anyone lives in London—or who owns or rents property here—can vote. So can those who are married to a person who fits that description.

If you're a Western University or Fanshawe College student here to study, you can vote both in London and in your hometown.

But no matter what, you must be a Canadian citizen and 18 years old or older to vote. 

What ward am I in?

If you voted in the last municipal election, you may not vote in the same ward this time around. In 2017, city council passed a bylaw to re-divide the city's wards. Those who live in wards with changed boundaries will vote in their new ward this October.

An interactive map of London's wards — with changes highlighted in red — is available online. 

When do I vote?

Voting day is Oct. 22, 2018.

For those who vote on voting day, cards will be mailed out in September with your designated polling location. Polls will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 8 p.m.

If you prefer, you can request to vote by mail by contacting the elections office at City Hall by Sept. 28. 

Advance polls will be available to eligible voters between Oct. 4 to Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Accessible voting machines are available at these locations. 

What do I need to vote?

To vote in the municipal election, you must be on the voters' list. Not sure if you're on it? You can check online. 

If you're voting at either a designated polling location or an advance poll, you must bring your voter card and a piece of ID. 

How do I use a ranked ballot?

In the typical first-past-the-post system, the person who gets the most votes wins. 

In the new ranked ballot system, you have to mark up to three top choices, in order of preference.

If one candidate doesn't have 50 per cent plus one of the votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and the ballots are counted using the next candidate choice. 

The process is repeated until a candidate with 50 per cent plus one is chosen. 

Here is the official list of candidates for mayor, council and school boards.