Who Can Vote

To vote in the Chestermere municipal election, you must:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• be a Canadian citizen; 
• be an Alberta resident for 6 consecutive months prior to Election Day;
• have your place of residence* located in the City of Chestermere on Election Day;
• Show ID to verify your name and address. (See below for acceptable forms of identification or read more about the Voter Identification Bylaw here); and
• Complete a statement confirming that you are eligible to vote and that you have not previously voted in this election.

 * Residence is defined by the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) as 'the place where the person lives and sleeps and to which, when the person is absent, the person intends to return'. If you need more information on the rules of residence, please see section 48 of the LAEA. 

Acceptable Voter Identification

Electors now have three options to provide proof of their identity as set out in the Voter Identification Bylaw: 

Option 1: Provide one piece of government-issued photo identification which contains a photograph of the elector and the elector’s legal name and current address (i.e.: a driver’s license) 

Option 2: If no photo ID is available, an elector can provide two pieces of identification that contain their name, with at least one containing the elector’s current address (i.e.: Alberta health care card or passport paired with a credit card statement, utility bill, or mortgage statement) 

Option 3: Provide a letter of verification that confirms the elector’s legal name and current address. This letter can be signed and authorized by the elector’s employer, a representative of a post-secondary institution, supportive living facility, or treatment centre (See Schedule A below for more details). 

SCHEDULE A

The following identification documents will be accepted as valid Voter Identification:

One piece of government-issued photo identification:

Identification issued by a Canadian government, whether federal, provincial or local, or an agency of that government, that contains a photograph of the elector, the elector’s legal name and the elector’s current residential address.

OR

Two of any of the following pieces of identification, provided that both must contain the elector’s legal name, and at least one must contain the elector’s current residential address:

• Canadian passport
• Canadian citizenship card
• Bank or credit card, bank or credit card statement or personal cheque.
• Government cheque or cheque stub.
• Income or property tax assessment notice.
• Insurance policy or coverage card.
• Letter from a public curator, public guardian or public trustee.
• Pension plan statement of benefits, contributions or participation.
• Residential lease or mortgage statement.
• Statement of government benefits (for example, employment insurance, old-age security, social assistance, disability support or child tax benefit).
• Utility bill (for example, telephone, public utilities, television, hydro, gas or water).
• Vehicle ownership, registration or insurance certificate.
• Alberta Health Services card, hospital or medical identification card, or Canadian blood services card.
• Student identification card.
• Employee identification card.
• Alberta Health Services card, hospital or medical identification card, or Canadian blood services card.

OR

Without identification, a letter or form (attestation) confirming the elector’s legal name and that the elector resides at the stated address will also be accepted as valid Voter Identification.

 The letter or form can be signed prior to attending the voting station or voting by other allowable means, including a letter or form from any of the following:

• authorized representative of a commercial property management company;
• authorized representative of a correctional institution;
• authorized representative of a First Nations band or reserve;
• authorized representative of a post-secondary institution;
• authorized representative of a facility that provides services to the homeless; 
• authorized representative of a supportive living facility or treatment centre; or
• authorized representative of the person’s employer.

How voting will work:

• Each elector qualified elector will need to show proof of name and address
• They will then have to register to vote by filling out the Elector Register
• They will be given instructions on how to fill in the ballot for the following elections: Mayor, City Council, Senate and Referendum. Voters will be asked to cast a vote for one mayoral candidate and up to six councillor candidates. 
• Then the elector will run their completed ballot through a tabulator (electronic counter)

Instructions for voting for School Board Trustee

• The Rockyview School Division will not have any candidates on the Chestermere Municipal ballot due to the fact that the incumbent was acclaimed in.
• If you support the Calgary Catholic School Board, there will be an additional voting station hosted by Elections Calgary for the Calgary Catholic School Board Trustees

Information about the Senate & Provincial Referendum

Information and instructions about the Senate Election and Provincial Referendum are available here. 

The Role of Municipalities

• To provide good government.
• To provide services, facilities or other things that, in the opinion of council, are necessary or desirable for all or a part of the municipality.
• To develop safe and viable communities.