Candidates

The voters list is currently available for pickup by candidates. To pick up a paper or electronic version of the voters list please call the West Grey municipal office at 519-369-2200.

How can electors vote in the 2022 municipal election?

The Municipality of West Grey has elected to use the internet and telephone voting method for the 2022 municipal election. Electors will be able to cast their vote online or by telephone from anywhere they have an internet or telephone connection.

Electors will receive a Voter Information Letter in the mail, providing instructions and a secure Person Identification Number (PIN) to use to vote by either the internet or telephone.

If an elector does not receive their Voter Information Letter in the mail, they can visit one of our voter assistance centres to receive their PIN to vote. Electors can also visit voter assistance centres to be added to the Voters List, receive assistance and obtain access to the internet to vote.

Section 2.1.1 of the Use of Corporate Assets bylaw 09-2022, pursuant to the Municipal Elections Act, section 88.18, states that campaigning on municipal property is not permitted. Key points to know:

1. Examples of campaigning

a. distributing brochures or material promoting your candidacy

b. handing out pins, buttons or other items promoting your campaign

c. wearing clothing that identifies you as a candidate: “Vote for Me” buttons, t-shirts, hats, etc.

d. parking a vehicle at a municipal event or on municipal property that is wrapped with campaign messages, images, or slogans

e. for current elected officials, wearing a West Grey name badge while soliciting votes or engaging in campaign/election conversations

f. posting photos or videos of yourself on or at municipal property for campaign purposes

2. Municipal property includes

a. All municipal facilities, arenas, parks, community centres, and infrastructure like parking lots, bridges, municipal yards, vacant land, libraries, police and fire stations, etc.

i. All campaign material – printed and online – must not show or include images of municipal property

b. Municipal events are also considered in this category 

i. For example, absolutely no campaigning can occur at the Halloween Movie night on September 30.

3. The only exception to this bylaw is

a. Events held by, booked by, and paid for by third parties (private entities, service groups) who allow every candidate the opportunity to distribute materials, pursuant to bylaw 09-2022, section 2.2.3.

i. For example, the Chamber of Commerce has booked and paid for the use of the Durham hall for an all-candidates meeting. The Chamber is responsible to advise all candidates if campaigning is allowed. However, campaigning shall not be permitted in the parking lot or in any other areas of the Durham facility. Campaign materials cannot be distributed or left in other areas of the Durham facility and will be discarded.

Candidates shall not use the municipal logo or images in any format, or municipal facilities, for campaigning purposes. Therefore, candidates are not allowed to take photos of themselves at any events held at municipal facilities, including third-party events, and post them on campaign online sites or use them in printed materials.

4. Important to note:

Section 94 of the Municipal Elections Act provides that: A person who contravenes any provision of this Act or a regulation under this Act or a by-law passed by a municipality under this Act is guilty of an offence. Information regarding offences and penalties was provided to every candidate at the time of submitting nomination papers.

You are responsible to be aware of the relevant election law – municipal and provincial – and satisfy yourself that you are in compliance with it. You may wish to seek legal advice on this matter. 

An individual with concerns about the conduct of a candidate may seek legal counsel or contact West Grey Police Services if the matter relates to an offence under the Criminal Code (Canada).

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 does not provide the clerk with any investigative or enforcement powers. If you have concerns regarding election rules or processes, you can contact the clerk. 

The clerk performs a statutory role in the conduct of an election and must follow the provisions of the Act. Any complaints against the provisions of the Act are referred to the Minister of Municipal Affairs who has ministerial responsibility for the Act.

Do residents have to be Canadian citizens to vote in the election? 

Pursuant to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 section 17: 

Qualifications of electors

17 (1)  Repealed:  2002, c. 17, Sched. D, s. 5 (1).

Qualifications

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

    (a)   resides in the local municipality or is the owner or tenant of land there, or the spouse of such owner or tenant;

    (b)   is a Canadian citizen;

    (c)   is at least 18 years old; and

    (d)   is not prohibited from voting under subsection (3) or otherwise by law. 2002, c. 17, Sched. D, s. 5 (2); 2005, c. 5, s. 46 (1).

Persons prohibited from voting

(3)  The following are prohibited from voting:

      1.   A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution.

      2.   A corporation.

      3.   A person acting as executor or trustee or in any other representative capacity, except as a voting proxy in accordance with section 44.

      4.   A person who was convicted of the corrupt practice described in subsection 90 (3), if voting day in the current election is less than five years after voting day in the election in respect of which he or she was convicted. 1996, c. 32, Sched., s. 17 (3); 2006, c. 9, Sched. H, s. 4.

Are there any rules against campaigning after voting starts on October 14? 

Candidates can continue campaigning until the voting period ends on October 24, 2022 at 8 p.m. Candidates cannot campaign at the municipal office, voter assistance centres or on any municipal properties.   

What are the rules and responsibilities for voters?

One Person, One Vote - It's the Law

The Municipality of West Grey takes its responsibility to run fair and secure democratic elections seriously and has processes in place to do so. The 2022 Municipal Elections will offer a choice of internet or telephone voting.

Voting online or by telephone is a fast, convenient and secure way to vote. It has been previously used successfully by many municipalities, including West Grey for the 2018 municipal and school board elections.

Voter eligibility

To be eligible to vote in the municipal elections you must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years of age on or before Voting Day (October 24, 2022);
• A resident, owner or tenant of land in the Municipality of West Grey, or the spouse of such tenant or owner; and
• Not otherwise prohibited by law from voting.

Note: only residents are eligible to vote for a School Board Trustee.

Whether eligible voters choose to vote online or by telephone, the following important information applies:

Only open your own Voter Information Letter (VIL)

Voter Information Letters (VIL) will be sent by early October to individuals on the Voters’ List. The Voters’ List is created from a Preliminary List of Electors provided to the municipality by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), which municipalities are required to use.

It is a Criminal Code offence to tamper with mail, which includes opening a VIL other than your own. If your household receives a VIL for a former resident who is no longer an eligible voter, such as a family member who moved, do not open or forward it. Mark the envelope “Return to Sender” and drop it in a mailbox. You can also drop it off at the West Grey police station or municipal office.  

Keep your information secure

Eligible voters should not share their VIL or Voting PIN with anyone, including any candidates or municipal staff. Candidates and are not permitted to assist a voter in using the internet or telephone voting system.

In addition to the information in the VIL, additional steps are required to validate your identity when voting online. Voters will also be required to make a legal Declaration of Qualification confirming their eligibility, similar to in-person voting. It is illegal to vote when you are not eligible to do so.

It is illegal to vote more than once

Under law, eligible voters can only vote once in the municipal elections regardless of how many properties they own or rent in that municipality. The internet and telephone voting system used by the municipality can flag irregular voting occurrences for further investigation. The municipality will pursue individuals who commit voter fraud. Anyone with evidence of voter fraud should contact West Grey Police Services. On conviction, any individual found to have voted more than once can face a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

Requests to be added to the Voters’ List require identification

If an elector does not receive a VIL by October 14, 2022, please submit a request to be added to the Voters’ List by visiting the municipal office or emailing election@westgrey.com. Applications to be added to the Voters’ List must include identification that shows both name and address.

All requests are reviewed by an Election Official to determine if a VIL should be issued. Election staff have the authority to decline any application to amend the Voters’ List if they are not satisfied that the person making the application is permitted to do so, or if they are not satisfied that the person is an eligible voter.

Anyone submitting false information, on conviction, can face a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

Do candidates need to return strike-off lists after the voting period closes? 

Candidates are required to return strike-off lists that were provided to them during the voting period. Strike-off lists must be returned to the municipal office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.