Municipal elections are coming
Photo by Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM News, LJI.
By Cecilia Nasmith
It's a municipal election year in Cobourg, with voting day set for Monday, Oct, 26, and preparations are on.
Election-related information will be appearing in municipal buildings and facilities across the community for municipal and school-board elections in advance of the event, for which voting can begin Oct. 16.
Continuing the practice of online voting only, Voter Help Centres will be set up – locations, hours and available services to be announce closer to the election. And more detailed information will be available on the town's official election website, Cobourg.ca, which will launch at the end of March to provide such things as key dates, voting information, candidate details and frequently asked questions.
“Exercising your right to vote is one of the most important ways residents can shape their community,” Municipal Clerk Brent Larmer said.
“We encourage residents to ensure they are on the Voters List, stay informed and participate.”
It is also important to check and ensure your voter information on the Elections Ontario Permanent Register of Electors is accurate. You can confirm, update or add information at www.RegisterToVoteON.ca
You are eligible to vote in the municipal election if you are at least 18 years of age, a Canadian citizen, not prohibited from voting by law, and a resident of the municipality (or the spouse of an owner or tenant of property in the municipality, or a non-resident who owns or rents property in the municipality).
As for the school board election, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation remains responsible for collecting school-support information from eligible electors. You can check or update your designation at mpac.ca/schoolsupport
As for running for office, the candidate nomination period opens May 1, with the Town of Cobourg sharing more candidate information soon. In advance of that, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario is offering a free on-line workshop on April 8 called Running for Municipal Office – Everything You Need to Know as an Underrepresented Candidate. For more details, or to register, visit amo.on.ca
