Many Seasonal Residents Dropped from Municipal Voters’ Lists in Ontario
Tessa Swanton (Townson),
Bruce Peninsula Press
Municipalities across Ontario are expressing their dissatisfaction with municipal voter registration lists for the upcoming October 26 municipal elections. Seasonal residents may have been inadvertently removed from the list following a change in voter list management from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) to Elections Canada.
Municipalities are reporting a drastic reduction in the number of eligible voters when reviewing registration lists, likely due to cottagers being unintentionally deleted.
Anyone who owns, rents, or lives in shared accommodation is eligible to vote in the election as a resident elector. Non-resident electors are also able to vote if you own or rent property in the municipality, even if you don’t live there. This means that even if you are a resident elector in only one municipality, you may be eligible to vote in other municipalities where you own property too. Spouses of non-resident electors are also permitted to cast a ballot. Students living away from home attending school can vote in their hometown (if they plan on returning there) and the municipality where they live while in school. If the property is owned by your business or cottage owned by a trust, you do not qualify. You must be 18 years of age or older and a Canadian citizen. If you are unsure if you are qualified to vote, check with the municipal clerk.
To ensure you are on the Voters’ List, please visit https://www.registertovote.ca Voters only have until August 12 to use this program. You can check if you are on the list and add yourself by entering your personal information and uploading acceptable identification showing both your name and home address. This method allows you to add yourself to the list from the comfort of your home. For questions related to voter registration, email info@registertovoteon.ca or call 1-866-242-3025.
On or after September 1, you must contact MNBP’s Clerk to add yourself to the Voters’ List. The deadline for adding yourself to the list is the close of voting on October 26 (Voting Day). Clerk, Alexandra Croce, confirmed that Revision Centres where you can add yourself to the list will be set up throughout the municipality in September, times and locations are to be determined. The Municipal Office (56 Lindsay Road 5) will also be a Revision Centre during business hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday until the end of Election Day on October 26 at 8pm. You must attend in person, complete an EL15 Application to Amend Voters’ List Form, and show identification. Acceptable ID includes an Ontario driver’s licence, Ontario photo card, utility bill, mortgage, lease or rental statement, or any other ID found at https://www.registertovoteon.ca/voters-list (Scroll to the bottom of the page, click the link for ID and documentation requirements for municipal elections.)
Restricted Acts of Council or “Lame Duck” Period and What it Means
Report 26-01 from the Clerk explains that there are situations where council may enter a Lame Duck Period limiting council’s powers to prevent an outgoing council from taking specific actions during an election period. Council may be Lame Duck between Nomination Day (August 21) and Voting Day (October 26) if less than 3 out of 5 of the current members are not running for council in the upcoming term. Council may also enter Lame Duck between Voting Day (October 26) and the start of the new term (November 15).
In a Lame Duck Period, council may not appoint or remove any municipal officer; hire or fire any municipal employee; dispose of any municipal property with a value over $50,000; or make any purchases or incur any liability over $50,000.
Key Election Dates
• May 1- Nomination Period Begins
• August 21- Nomination Day – nominations close at 2pm. Candidates can file Nomination Papers to run for office in the municipal election by scheduling an appointment with the Clerk by emailing election@northernbruce.ca
• August 24- Clerk will declare an election or acclamation
• September 1- Voters List made available to certified candidates
• September 30- Last day for Voter Information Letters to be mailed to voters via Canada Post
• October 19- Advanced voting starts at 10am
• October 26- Election Day, officially ending at 8pm with results announced as soon as possible. The Voting System is telephone and internet voting.
• November 15- Term of Office begins for 2026-2030 Council
• November 23- Inaugural Council Meeting
As of the date of this newspaper printing, no candidates have filed papers to run for Council.
Any questions pertaining to the municipal election can be directed to the Clerk at 1-833-793-3537 x 236 or acroce@northernbruce.ca
