Election Day approaches!

“Do the unexpected. Take 20 minutes out of your day, do what young people all over the world are dying to do: vote.” 
― Rick Mercer

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We are just under a week away from Election Day here in Edmonton - MONDAY October 21, 2013 -  and I thought it would be a good subject for a blog to remind everyone to vote.

The City of Edmonton has a lot of great info on their website about the election, the wards, and the candidates for mayor, councillors and for school trustees, but I thought I would do a quick FAQ on some of the basics:

Who is eligible?
You are eligible to vote if:

• You present authorized identification 
• You are at least 18 years of age
• You are a Canadian citizen
• You are a resident of a ward within the city of Edmonton on Election Day
• You have lived in Alberta since April 23, 2013

What kind of ID is valid?
Your ID has to establish your full legal name and your current municipal address.  The city has provided a quick infographic ..

Voter Identification Examples

Acceptable	Not Acceptable
Alberta Driver's Licence or Identification Card	Passport
Personal Cheque or Bank/Credit Statement	Alberta Health Care Card
Utility Bill (e.g. Public Utilities Commission, telephone, television, or hydro, gas or water)	Student or Work ID

Where do I vote?
This is going to depend on your ward.  A few weeks ago, a package was mailed out that would have let you know your Voting Station on Monday and its operating hours.  It also let you know when and where advance polls were being held.  If you can't find it, or you have lost it, click here to go to a handy gadget that will let you know.  You just have to enter your address and it tells you the location as well as which ward you are in for both council and school trustees.

Who are my Candidates?  
You can find out who is running in your ward(s) - council or school - once you know what ward you are in by clicking here.  Remember that you discovered your ward(s) using the link above in the last question.

Take a few minutes and get to know at least the basic information about the candidates in your ward and the candidates for Mayor.  It's important to vote, to be a part of the process - because if you don't vote should you really complain about what happens later?  Or as Abraham Lincoln said a lot more eloquently ..

“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” 
― Abraham Lincoln