FAQs
Q – When are the 2010 elections?
A - The 2010 municipal elections are being held on Monday, October 25, 2010. You can cast your ballot between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on voting day.
Q – Who can vote in the municipal elections?
A - You can vote in the municipal elections (or be an eligible elector) if, on voting day, you are:
- A resident of Loyalist Township, or an owner or tenant of land in Loyalist Township or same-sex partner of such an owner or tenant
- A Canadian citizen
- At least 18 years old; and
- Not prohibited from voting by law
To vote in the elections for a School Board Trustee, you must be:
- An owner or tenant of residential property in the area of jurisdiction of the school board, who does not support any other school board. If you are not sure which you support, this information can be found on the Voters' List
Q – Will there be advance voting?
A - If you are going to be out-of-town or it’s more convenient to vote on another day, you will be able to do so on an advance voting day. The advance voting day will be Saturday, October 16, 2010 at the following locations:
Ward 1 - Amherst Island Municipal Offices, Stella
Ward 2 - Bath Fire Hall, County Road 7
Ward 3 - Odessa Municipal Offices, 263 Main Street, Odessa
- Amherstview Community Hall, 108 Amherst Dr., Amherstview
Q – What offices will the Township’s electors be voting for?
A - Eligible electors will be able to vote for the offices of Reeve, Deputy Reeve, Township Councillor(s) (Wards 1, 2 and 3) and School Board Trustee.
- The Reeve and Deputy Reeve are elected at large by all electors
- Councillors are elected by the eligible voters of each Ward - one Councillor for Ward 1 (Amherst Island), one Councillor for Ward 2 (Bath) and three Councillors for Ward 3 (Ernestown)
- School Board Trustees are elected by zones. The board you are entitled to vote for is dependent upon your mother tongue and religion. The school boards that have jurisdiction in Loyalist Township are:
- Limestone District School Board (for Stone Mills and Loyalist Townships)
- Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic School Board (for Tyendinaga, Deseronto, County of Prince Edward, Town of Greater Napanee, Loyalist Township, Township of Stone Mills)
- French Language - Public - le Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (for County of Hastings, County of Prince Edward and County of Lennox & Addington)
- French Language - Separate - le Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue francais du Centre-Est (for City of Kingston, County of Hastings, County of Prince Edward, County of Lennox & Addington and County of Frontenac).
Q – Am I registered to vote?
A- The Voters' List is compiled from information that we receive from Ontario's Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. The Voters' List will be available for you to review at the Election Office, in Odessa, Wednesday, September 1 to Monday October 25, 2010. You should check the Voters' List to ensure that your name, address and school-support designation are listed correctly.
Q – I am not on the Voters' List, how do I get my name put on it? How do I amend my personal information on the Voters' List?
A - Starting Tuesday, September 7, 2010, you will have an opportunity to amend or change your personal information on the Voters' List. To do so, you can contact the Election Office at 386-7351, ext. 171 and we can send you an application to Amend the Voters' List which you can complete and send back to us. The Application to Amend the Voters' List forms will also be available at the voting place. However, we encourage you to get these changes to us before the end of September, so we can make sure your name gets on the final, printed version of the list and so you'll be able to avoid any unnecessary delays on voting day.
Q – My spouse died recently. How do I remove his or her name from the Voters' List?
A - Contact the Election Office between Tuesday, September 7 and Friday, September 10, 2010 and we will send you an Application to Remove Another Person's Name From the Voters' List. Fill it out and return it to the Elections Office along with a copy of your spouse's death certificate, and we will remove your spouse's name from the Voters' List. You can stop by the Election Office at 263 Main Street, Odessa and the information can be completed. These forms are forwarded to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) so information can be corrected.
Q – If I own more than one property in Loyalist Township, can I vote more than once?
A - No, you can only vote once for the office of Reeve, Deputy Reeve, Councillor and School Board Trustee. Your qualifying address - where your name will be on the Voters' List - will be determined by:
- Your primary residence, if more than one property is owned within the Township; or
- The commercial/industrial property you own or in which you are a tenant, if your primary residence is not within the Township. However, you will not be eligible to vote for a School Board Trustee based on you commercial/industrial property.
Q – Can someone else vote on my behalf?
A - If you are a qualified elector and unable to vote on October 25 or on the advance voting day, you can appoint a proxy. A proxy is a person who is an eligible voter and whom you can trust to vote on your behalf. To appoint a proxy, you have to fill in an Appointment of Voting Proxy Form. Your proxy must bring the form to the Election Office during regular business hours, along with proof of his or her identity, and have it certified by Township staff. You can appoint a voting proxy starting on September 10, 2010. The deadline for proxy registration is 5:00 p.m. on voting day. A proxy can represent multiple members of his or her immediate family, but only one individual who is not a member of his or her immediate family. The Appointment of Voting Proxy form must be witnesseed by someone other than the person who is being appointed.
Q – Where do I vote?
A- In October, a voter notification letter will be sent to all households present on the Voters' List informing persons when and where they may vote. Voting places may have changed from the last election, so please check this notice carefully. If you haven't received this notice by mid-October 2010, please contact the Election Office and we will assist you with your voting place.
Q – How will the new automated vote counting system set up by the Township work?
A - In 2003 a new automated vote counting system was implemented for the Election. Due to the success of this system, it was used again in 2006 and will also be used for the 2010 election. Voting will be easy and results will arrive quickly after the end of voting. Here is how it works:
- You will receive a ballot when you come into the voting place.
- Use the pen at the voting booth to fill in the oval corresponding with your candidate of choice for each office for which you are eligible to vote.
- Place a ballot in the privacy sleeve and bring it to the election official who will insert the ballot into the vote tabulator to record your vote.
- If you make a mistake, you will be offered a new ballot and may start again.
A Touch Screen Voting device will be leased for the 2010 election and will be offered at the Odessa Advance Vote and the Amherstview Community Hall voting location. If you are a person with a disability, you are encouraged to attend the Odessa Advance Vote to use this machine which may assist you during the voting process. The Odessa Advance Vote will be open to all eligible electors from all Wards.
Q – Can I get a copy of the Voters’ List?
A - No. Under Ontario's Municipal Elections Act the Township can only provide copies of the Voters' List to candidates, MPs and MPPs. However, you can review the list at the Election Office in Odessa and at the ferry office on Amherst Island.
Q – What special provisions are in place to accommodate voters with special needs?
A - The Township is committed to ensure that electors in Loyalist, who have a disability or an issue with accessibility, are provided with the best opportunity to vote as independently as possible. All voters can exercise their right to vote. All voting locations will be barrier-free and wheelchair accessible. If you have other special needs or require assistance in voting, please contact the Election Office before voting day and staff will do our best to address your needs.
Q – Who are the candidates?
A - You can view the most current list of candidates for the offices of Reeve, Deputy Reeve, Councillors and School Board Trustees on the Township's website. You can also contact the Election Office and we will provide you with a list of nominated candidates.
Q – Where can I get election results?
A - At the close of voting on October 25, the totals from all the voting locations will be compiled. Results will then be displayed at the Odessa Municipal Offices, on the Township's Web site and will be broadcast by the local television station.
