Municipal Election 2010

Municipal Election Day is on October 25, 2010. 

 * Who Can Vote In a Municipal Election

 * Voting Options

 * Information for Candidates

 * List of Candidates Running as of September 2, 2010

Who Can Vote In a Municipal Election

A person is entitled to be an elector at an election held in a local municipality, if on voting day he or she is:

* a Canadian citizen;
* at least 18 years old;
* residing in the local municipality or an owner or tenant of land there, or the spouse of such owner or tenant; and
* not otherwise prohibited from voting.

Ineligible Voters

The following cannot vote in a municipal election:

* a person serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution;
* a corporation; or
* a person convicted of a corrupt practice for an election held within four years of voting day.

A person who is acting as an executor or in any other representative capacity (e.g., power of attorney), cannot vote on behalf of the person they are representing unless they have been appointed as a voting proxy.

Number of Votes

A voter is only entitled to vote once in a municipality and once in a school board even if the voter has more than one qualifying property address within the municipality or school board.

Students and Seasonal Residents

A student may vote in the municipality where he or she is temporarily residing while attending school as well as at his or her permanent home in a different municipality, provided that he or she does not intend to change his or her permanent home.

A seasonal resident may vote in the municipality where the seasonal residence is located as well as at his or her permanent home in a different municipality, provided that he or she meets the eligiblity requirements, but only once in each municipality.  

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Voting Options

The 2010 election in the Municipality of Temagami will be conducted by vote by mail. Electors will be able to cast their vote from home, rather than having to go to a polling station. Provisions will be made for those who prefer to cast their votes in person at a Ballot Returning Station prior to Election Day, or in person at the Polling Station on Election Day. Please see the details are below for the various options.

Vote by Mail Kits:

• A Vote by Mail Kit will be provided to every person who qualifies to be an elector. The Kit will either be mailed or directly provided to each qualified elector.

Completing:

The Vote by Mail Kit includes:
• a ballot;
• an inner security envelope;
• a declaration form;
• an outer return envelope; and
• an instruction sheet.
Please follow the directions carefully to ensure that your ballot is valid.

Returning:

The completed ballot may be sent by mail or may be dropped of at the Ballot Return Station.

• BY MAIL: the ballot can be returned by mail in the return envelope provided. The ballots must be completed and sealed inside the privacy envelope, and inserted in the return envelope along with the declaration form. It is the voter’s responsibility to ensure that it reaches the Municipal Office by Election Day. Vote by mail ballots received after election day, will not be counted.
• BALLOT RETURN STATION: Voters may choose to return their vote-by-mail ballots in person or by an agent at a Ballot Return Station. This a voting place under the supervision of a Deputy Returning Officer where electors, who prefer to deliver or have delivered their completed ballots, may deposit their ballots directly into the care of the Municipal Clerk rather than forwarding their ballots by mail. The ballots must be completed and sealed inside the privacy envelope, and inserted in the return envelope along with the declaration form. The Ballot Return Station will be located at the Municipal Office in advance of Election Day at the Welcome Centre located at 7 Lakeshore Drive in Temagami. It will be open from: Monday, October 18, 2010 to Friday, October 22, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and on Monday, October 25, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• POLLING STATION: Voters may also choose vote in person on Election Day at the polling station located in the Public Library/Employment Resource Centre on the lower floor of the Welcome Centre at 7 Lakeshore Drive in Temagami. Electors should bring the vote-by-mail ballots with them. Electors voting in person must present identification at the Polling Station. The Polling Station is open on Monday, October 25, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

It is the responsibility of each elector to complete the ballot in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and the procedures set out in the Vote by Mail kit, and return it to the Municipal Clerk by mail or by deposit at a Ballot Return Station on or before 8:00 p.m. on Voting Day.

If you are not on the Voter’s List

If a qualified elector is not on the voters’ list, she/he may, beginning on Tuesday, September 7, 2010:

• fill out an application (form EL15) and file it with the clerk by mail or in person; or
• on voting day, fill out an application at the place of voting.

The clerk may require identification from the voter in order to add the voter to the voters’ list.

To find out if you are on the voters list please call ((705) 569 - 3421 ext. 200) or visit the Municipal Office.

Completed applications may be mailed to:

The Municipality of Temagami
7 Lakeshore Drive
P.O. Box 220
Temagami, Ontario
P0H 2H0

Proxy Ballots

Please note: the Municipality of Temagami will not be using proxy ballots for the 2010 election. These are not applicable with the vote-by-mail method. If an elector cannot vote in person, they may send their ballot by mail or by an agent as per above.

Advance Polls:

Advance polls are not applicable with the vote-by-mail method. If an elector cannot vote in person on election day, they may send their ballot by mail or drop it off at a Ballot Return Station as per above.

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Candidates:

It is the responsibility of the candidate to determine whether he or she is qualified to be elected to and hold office, whether for Municipal Council or for School Board. Prospective candidates should read the relevant legislation and regulations for qualifications required for the office, e.g., the Municipal Act, 2001, the Education Act, and the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. These are available online at www.e-laws.gov.on.ca.

 
Candidates can only be nominated for one office on a municipal council or school board in the Province of Ontario at a time. If person is nominated for a second office, the first nomination is deemed to be withdrawn.

Qualification – Municipal Office

A candidate for municipal office must, upon nomination, be a qualified municipal elector and not be disqualified from being elected to municipal office. (see qualifications above)
The following persons are disqualified from being elected to municipal office:

• an employee of a municipality unless he or she
  • takes an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated, and
  • resigns, if elected to the office;
• a judge of any court;
• a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a Senator or a member of the House of Commons; or
• an inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment.

NOTE: A candidate, if nominated, must remain qualified throughout the election and, if elected, throughout the term of office.

Nomination

Nomination papers may be filed in the office of the clerk from January 4 until 2:00 p.m. on Nomination Day, Friday, September 10, 2010. The nomination must be in the prescribed form and accompanied by the prescribed fee.

Nomination Process

• Obtain nomination papers from the clerk of the municipality.  You may download and print Election Candidate Nomination - Form 1 here.
• A nomination paper must be filed in person by the candidate or by an agent.
• The nomination paper must have original signatures. The nomination paper may not be faxed, mailed or emailed. Either the candidate or the agent must bring the completed and signed nomination papers to the office of the clerk. The candidate may be required to show proof of identity and qualifications.
• The prescribed nomination filing fee must be paid at the time of filing the nomination. Payment to the municipality must be made by cash, certified cheque or money order.
• The nomination filing fee is:
  • $200 for the office of head of council; and
  • $100 for all other offices.

The municipal clerk must certify or reject the nomination paper by 4 p.m. on Monday, September 13, 2010.

NOTE: A candidate is entitled to a refund of the filing fee if he or she:

• is elected;
• receives more than two per cent of the votes cast for the office; or
• withdraws the nomination before nomination day.

Withdrawal of Candidacy

If a candidate decides to withdraw from the election, he or she must notify the clerk in writing no later than 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2010.

A candidate who withdraws before Nomination Day is entitled to a refund of the nomination filing fee. A candidate who withdraws is still required to submit a completed financial disclosure covering all financial transactions made up to the date the nomination was withdrawn.

Nomination to More Than One Office

A person may only be a candidate for one office. If a person who is nominated for an office files a second nomination for a different office, the first nomination is deemed to be withdrawn.
If a person’s name appears on more than one ballot and he or she is elected to any of those offices, his or her election is void and the office is vacant.

Changing Offices

If, after filing nomination papers for an office, a candidate decides to seek election to another office on the same municipal council:

• the first nomination is deemed to be withdrawn at the time the second nomination is filed;
• the nomination filing fee is transferred to the new office; and
• if both offices are to be elected by a general vote of all electors in the municipality, contributions received and expenses incurred for the original office are transferred to the new office.

 
NOMINATION FOR SCHOOL BOARD

The Municipality of Temagami does not handle nominations for the district school boards. All candidates wishing to file for nomination as a School Board Trustee must file their nomination papers with the lead municipality for the particular school board.

Candidates Currently Running for Office in Temagami in 2010.

The following is a list of candidates for Municipal Office who have filed Nomination Papers in 2010.  The list is in alphabetical order by last name.  This list is current as of September 2, 2010.

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More information is also available on the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website.