Cobourg prepares for voting
Photo by Dan Jones, CFWN, LJI
By Cecilia Nasmith
Though Election Day is Oct. 26, the Town of Cobourg is preparing for the Voting Period during which voting is permitted – 9 a.m. Oct. 16 through 8 p.m. Oct. 26.
The announcement includes two important provisions of the Municipal Election Act:
When you are voting, no one may attempt to influence your voting choices or interfere with your making of the ballot
No one may attempt to obtain information about how you intend to vote or how you did vote
The announcement set out several tips to help residents protect voter privacy and secrecy, and prevent undue interference by voting:
Cast your ballot privately – Though internet options allow voting from virtually anywhere, casting a ballot should be a private exercise. Find a quiet, private place to vote, free from interference or close observation by others.
Protect your PIN – Your secret voting Personal Identification Number will arrive by mail (or may have already arrived). Though a PIN thief would need to know other personal information about you in order to steal and vote using your PIN, it's still important to keep your PIN private and protected.
Don't give away your vote – If you decide not to vote, destroy your PIN. Giving your PIN and your vote to another person is illegal.
Reject political interference while voting – Though candidates and their teams are welcome to solicit your vote during the campaign period, they must not interfere with a voter casting a ballot. Ensure that candidates and their volunteers respect your privacy and do not pressure you while you are voting. As well, they should not provide you with any candidate electronic devices to vote.
Keep your choices private – Remember, you are not obliged to share your voting choices with anyone either before or after casting a ballot.
Help is there – For anyone who needs assistance, contact the town directly or use one of the three Voter Help Centres during the Voting Period. The Town Clerk's team will be managing these centres to provide a safe and secure way to cast your ballot at a secure voting kiosk.
Hours have been announced at the three Voter Help Centre locations.
At Victoria Hall (55 King St. W.), in the ground-floor Old Bailey Courtroom, hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19 through 25, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 26.
At the Cobourg Public Library (200 Ontario St.), hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19 through 23, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 26.
At the Cobourg Community Centre (750 D'Arcy St.), hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19 through 22, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 26.
For more information, visit www.CobourgVotes.ca
Questions can be directed to the Clerk's Office at cobourgvotes@cobourg.ca or 905-372-4301 ext. 9520.
