Advance voting begins Oct. 12

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This article was published 04/10/2022 (1233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ahead of the Oct. 26 municipal election, Brandon’s senior election official appeared before city council on Monday to provide an update on preparations, including advance voting opportunities and efforts to improve voter engagement.

Heather Ewasiuk outlined three upcoming chances for advance voting: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 12 at Brandon City Hall, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 20 also at city hall, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 22 at the Keystone Centre’s Pioneer Lounge.

Residents can also request a sealed mail-in ballot in person at city hall, by emailing Ewasiuk at brandonvotes@brandon.ca or by submitting an application in writing to the Senior Election Official, 410 Ninth St., Brandon, MB, R7A 6A2. The deadline for sealed ballots is Oct. 23.

For the benefit of residents of personal care homes, seniors homes and medical facilities, mobile voting stations will visit various locations on election day.

Each ward will have at least two voting stations open on Oct. 26, and residents can vote at whichever is most convenient from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Additionally, residents from any ward can cast a ballot at the Keystone Centre’s Pioneer Lounge from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Brandon University’s Knowles Douglas Students’ Union Building from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on election day. Some schools will also be turned into polling stations that day.

Voters must provide one piece of government-issued photo identification or two other documents that provide proof of identity and address.

According to Ewasiuk, the city is working with Samaritan House to help voters who do not have a fixed address cast a ballot.

All Brandon residents of voting age may vote in the Brandon School Division’s board of trustees race. However, a Canadian citizenship is required to vote in the city council election.

Between now and election day, Ewasiuk said, several initiatives are being launched to help improve voter engagement.

This includes sending cards to residents who were switched to new wards when the boundaries were revised earlier this year; social media advertising campaigns and ads in print and digital media.

Additionally, Brandon Transit will provide free transportation to the polls on election day, and everyone who votes will receive an “I Voted” sticker.

Ewasiuk noted at Monday’s meeting that all voting locations will be accessible. For visually impaired residents, Ewasiuk said they can bring someone to assist them to vote, or they can be provided with magnifying devices to better see their ballot.

Though the city has used vote-counting machines in the past, Ewasiuk said the company the city has dealt with previously — and which essentially has a monopoly on that kind of product in Canada — was unavailable. Therefore, poll workers are being trained to count votes by hand on election day.

Residents who didn’t update their voter information before the rolls closed can still vote on election day by bringing relevant proof of residence.

» cslark@brandonsun.com

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