Municipal elections will look very different when Islanders go to the polls on November 5.
The new Municipal Government Act has brought changes to the nomination of candidates, replaced former special election meetings and clarified voting requirements and procedures. The changes can be read in detail at Municipal Elections.
“The coming elections will mark an historic moment in municipal governance in Prince Edward Island,” Communities, Land and Environment Minister Richard Brown said. “All municipalities across the province will engage in a more modern and democratic election processes.”
Following are some of the requirements for voters and candidates.
- In order to vote, you must be a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years of age on Election Day, be a resident of the province for at least six months before Election Day and be a resident of the municipality in which you are voting on election day.
- You should check with your municipality to make sure you are eligible to vote and you are on the voters list. You can also register to vote at Elections PEI (www.electionspei.ca) until October 15.
- Voting will take place at advance polls and all day Monday, November 5 except where seats are filled by acclamation. Check with your municipality for full details of when and where voting will take place. Be sure to bring your ID.
- For those interested in running for election, the nomination period runs from October 10 until 2 p.m. on October 19. You will need to file your nomination papers during this period. You must have been a resident of the municipality for at least six months to run for municipal council, along with meeting the age and citizenship requirements.
- An extended nomination period will be held if there are not enough nominations to fill the required number of seats. Municipalities are required to provide notice of the extended nomination period.
Elections PEI will conduct the elections in the four largest municipalities - Charlottetown, Summerside, Stratford and Cornwall – and will advertise details of elections for these municipalities.
Media contact:
Wayne MacKinnon
wemackinnon@gov.pe.ca