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News Advertiser
www. NewsAdvertiser.com
september 23, 2015
What you need to bring to vote in the federal election Michael Simpson Editor As the Federal election date of October 19 approaches, the looming concern about what identification is suitable to bring in order to cast a ballot has surfaced once again from our readership. We have summarized the information that is readily available on the Elections Canada web site for your review. To access the full spread online, visit www.elections.ca. There you can also determine what you need to bring, if you’re properly registered to vote in this election, adjust any information required to make you eligible to vote in your riding, review the candidate list for your constituency (ours is the Lakeland constituency) and much more. The short list of what works for ID is as follows: Identity and address must be proven. Valid pieces of ID are a driver’s license, a provincial or territorial ID card, or any other government card with your photo, name and current address. Failing that, you may present 2 of the following from this list taken directly from the Elections Canada website, one of which must have your current address: - health card - Canadian passport - birth certificate - certificate of Canadian citizenship - citizenship card - social insurance number card - Indian status card - band membership card - Métis card - card issued by an Inuit local authority - Canadian Forces identity card - Veterans Affairs health card - old age security card - hospital card - medical clinic card - label on a prescription container - identity bracelet issued by a hospital or long-term care facility - blood donor card - CNIB card - credit card - debit card - employee card - student identity card - public transportation card - library card - liquor identity card - parolee card - firearms licence - licence or card issued for fishing, trapping or hunting - utility bill (e.g. electricity; water; telecommunications services including telephone, cable or satellite) - bank statement - credit union statement - credit card statement - personal cheque - government statement of benefits - government cheque or cheque stub - pension plan statement -residential lease or sub-lease - mortgage contract or statement - income tax assessment - property tax assessment or evaluation - vehicle ownership - insurance certificate, policy or statement - correspondence issued by a school, college or university - letter from a public curator, public guardian or public trustee - targeted revision form from Elections Canada to residents of long-term care facilities
- seniors’ residence - long-term care facility Elections Canada will also accept e-statements and e-invoices. Voters are asked to print them or show them on a mobile device such as a smart phone or tablet. As a final option, on the chance that none of your ID has your current address, you may take an oath. To do this, you must show two pieces of ID with your name and have another person who lives in the same polling division that knows you attest to your address. Whoever you select for this must show their own proof of identity and address, and can attest for only one person. Elections Canada also points out that a voter information card is not considered a valid piece of ID. In a final twist, the list is different than that from this year’s earlier provincial election because, as Elections Canada points out, “the pieces of ID required for a federal election are not the same as for provincial, territorial or municipal elections.” If this article has not definitively answered your questions relating to the proper identification required, you are encouraged by visit the elections Canada website listed at the start of the article to look under their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for more answers to highly specific questions and scenarios.
Smile of the
WEEK
Name: Tamara Doucet Likes: my family, nature, camping Dislikes: People disrespecting each other