Regina Votes: What you need to know for election day

Municipal elections are set for Oct. 26.

In Regina, people will cast ballots for a mayor and a council member for their ward; there are 10 wards in the city.

• EXTERNAL LINK: Elections Regina - Regina Votes website

Here is some information about the voting process:

When will the vote happen?

Regina, like other municipalities, is voting on Wednesday, Oct. 26. In Regina, polls will open at 9 a.m. CST and close at 8 p.m.

Where do you vote?

Polling stations can be found on the voter information card (distributed to households in September) or on this web page.

Who can vote?

To vote you must:

• Be a Canadian citizen.
• Be at least 18 years old, as of Oct. 26.
• Have lived in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months before voting day.
• Have been a resident of Regina for at least three consecutive months before voting day, or have owned assessable land in the city for at least three consecutive months before voting day.

Are there rules for people temporarily away?

If you have been away from your residence for work as a member of the Canadian Forces or as the spouse/dependent of a member of the Canadian Forces, you are considered a resident of the last place you resided before your service and may vote in the election.

Also, if you are attending an educational institution outside Saskatchewan, you may vote: Until you complete or abandon your studies, you are considered a resident of the place in which you resided immediately before leaving to pursue studies.

How do I register to vote?

Everyone registers to vote when they arrive at their polling station. You can download the registration form and bring it with you or fill out the form when you get to the polling station.

• EXTERNAL LINK: Voter registration form

What ID do I need to vote?

You need ID with your name and address in order to vote. There are many options:

• One piece of government-issued photo ID that shows your name and address.

OR

• Two pieces of ID: One that shows your name and another that shows your name and address. Here is the list of the different types of ID that may be used.

There is also a process which allows for a voter who has met the ID requirement — and has a family connection to another voter  — to vouch for the identity of the other voter by filling out a form at the polling station. Here is a link to the list of people who can vouch (at the bottom of the page). There are some limitations on who can vouch. For example, candidates and their agents are not allowed to vouch.

What is a Voter Information Card?

The city sent information cards to households via mail at the end of September. The cards provided details on when and where people at the address go to vote on election day.

You can also get information on where to vote from the Elections Regina website.

• EXTERNAL LINK: Elections Regina - Search tool for voters

Were there advance polls?

A drive-thru polling station was available Oct 19 to Oct 21 beside city hall. There were also advance polls at a number of shopping malls which were open for four days and ended on Saturday, Oct. 22. A number of special polls were also made available for residents of various seniors facilities around the city.

Special polls for people in hospital or Wascana Rehabilitation Centre

On voting day, a special poll will be available for residents of the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Also, voters who are in the Regina General or Pasqua hospitals, as temporary residents, may vote Wednesday at special polls in those facilities from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

How do you vote if you are homeless?

If you have no fixed address, you can fill out a "Certification of Identity and Residence" form and have it signed by an administrator at a shelter (such as the YMCA or Salvation Army). You will then be able to vote in the same ward as the shelter by bringing that form. The form may serve as a piece of ID for the voter registration process.

What happens after polls close?

Regina uses voting tabulation machines. After a voter places a ballot in the machine, the machine deposits it into an attached sealed ballot box. When polls close, the final count from each machine is transmitted from each polling location to Elections Regina. Voting results will be provided starting at 8 p.m.

The chief returning officer makes an official declaration of results two days later.

What if there is a tie or the vote is very close?

In the event of a tie, the returning officer will: write the names of the tied candidates on separate blank sheets of paper of equal size, colour and texture; fold the sheets in a uniform manner and so the names are concealed; deposit them in a receptacle; direct a person to withdraw one of the sheets. Whichever tied candidate's name is on the drawn sheet shall be declared elected.

There is a process available for a recount, if certain conditions are met. A request for a recount would be handled by a court, which would also supervise any recount.

How many wards are there in Regina?

There are 10 wards.

Elections Regina has also provided information about who is running for mayor and council here.

How does the voting system work?

For municipal elections, for mayor and council, the first-past-the-post system is used. That means each voter is allowed to cast one vote for one of the candidates in their ward and one vote for mayor. The candidates with the most votes win.