It’s Time to Vote!

Picture courtesy of www.electionsnovascotia.ca

The Nova Scotia general election is now in it’s last week. Polls suggest that the election is in a “dead heat”, which means that a small number of votes could determine the outcome of election. Still, some people feel that voting can be a hassle. Below is some information that will help you fulfill your civic duty in the 2017 Nova Scotia general election.

First, if you are new to Canada and you want to vote in Nova Scotia:

·         you must be 18 years of age or older;

·         you must be a Canadian citizen; and

·         you must be a resident of Nova Scotia for 6 months before the election was called.

Second, if you are an eligible voter,

·         you must be registered as an elector.

To be registered as an elector, you will need to add your name to the list by registering before you vote. You can do this at your nearest returning office or polling station. Remember to bring a piece of identification like a driver’s licence or two documents that contain your current civic address to register and vote.

You can also vote at any returning office in Nova Scotia from 9 am to 6pm and 9am to 8pm on May 25th and May 26th.

Click below for returning office locations.

http://enstools.gov.ns.ca/edinfo2012/

Once you are registered, you can vote on election day, May 30th 2017, between 8am and 8pm in your electoral district. In addition, Nova Scotia has early voting locations.  Eligible voters can vote at any of the early voting locations in Nova Scotia.  The advance polls are open on Saturday from 9am to 6pm and 9am to 8pm on May 25th and May 26th.

Click below for all early voting locations.

http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/EARLYVOTEweb.pdf

 You can also vote at home by completing an application for a write-in ballot. Once your application is approved, a write-in ballot will be sent to your home. If you need help with your write-in ballot, you can make an appointment through your local returning office and a team can visit your home and assist you with voting.

If you are a post-secondary student, there are campus polls for students to either vote for candidates running at their school residence or those running at their residence when not at school.

Click below for the schedule of the campus polls.

https://electionsnovascotia.ca/content/schedule

If you are a voter with special needs, Elections Nova Scotia accommodates and provides assistance to facilitate your right to vote. For example: Elections Nova Scotia allows you to bring a friend to assist you to vote if you need help. In addition, all locations have: level access, special templates for the visually impaired and the option of write-in ballots for women who are in the protection of a shelter at an undisclosed location.

If you are not sure who to vote for you can review each party’s platform by visiting their official websites or by contacting the candidate riding directly.It’s not hard to vote and it’s your civic duty!

If you have any questions about voting you can call us at (902) 826-3070 or email us at info@highlanderlaw.ca to set up a meeting with one of our lawyers at our Tantallon law firm. You can also schedule a no commitment Issue Review Consult for $250+HST where you have the opportunity to explain your situation to a lawyer and get basic advice before deciding whether or not you'd like to retain us.  

Joshua Samson  - Law student                                                                                                           

 The information and materials on this blog are provided for general informational purposes only and are not intended to be legal advice. Nothing contained on this blog is legal advice or constitutes a legal opinion. While it is our goal to provide information which is current, legislative changes and court decisions, among other matters, may result in some information no longer being current or accurate. You should consult a lawyer before relying on any information. The views expressed herein by individual contributing lawyers posting entries to the blog are solely those of the authors and should not necessarily be attributed to or considered representative of the firm of Highlander Law Group Lawyers