The Town of Westlock residents will elect 1 Mayor and 6 Councillors to serve a four-year term at the next general election scheduled to take place on Monday, October 18, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Westlock Community Hall located at 10711 - 104 Avenue, Westlock.
Voter Identification
Local Authorities Election Act, Section 53
Every person who attends at a voting station for the purpose of voting must be permitted to vote if the person:
- makes a statement that the person is eligible to vote as an elector in the presence of an officer at the voting station, in the prescribed form, and
- validates the person's identity and address of the person's residence.
A person may validate the person's identity and the address of the person's residence by producing one of the following:
- one piece of identification issued by a Canadian government, whether federal, provincial or local, or an agency of that government, that contains a photograph of the person, the person's name and the address of the person's residence. Examples of appropriate ID include:
i. operator/driver’s license;
ii. government photo identification card (for non-drivers); or
- one piece of identification authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer under the Election Act for the purposes of section 95(1)(a)(ii) of that Act that establishes the person's name and current address. Examples of appropriate ID include:
i. utility bill, e.g. telephone, public utilities commission, television, hydro, gas or water;
ii. bank/credit card statement or personal cheque;
iii. correspondence issued by a school, college or university;
iv. government cheque or cheque stub;
v. income/property tax assessment notice;
vi. insurance policy or coverage card;
vii. pension plan statement of benefits, contributions or participation; or
viii. one of the following, issued by the responsible authority of a shelter or soup kitchen:
- attestation of residence;
- letter of stay;
- admission form; or
- statement of benefits
Who is Eligible to Vote?
Local Authorities Election Act, Section 47
A person is eligible to vote in an election held pursuant to this Act if the person:
- is at least 18 years old;
- is a Canadian citizen; and
- resides in Alberta and the person’s place of residence is located in the local jurisdiction on Election Day.
Note: An elector is eligible to vote only at the voting station for the voting subdivision in which the elector's place of residence is located on election day (exceptions: where a voting station is located at a work site; advance vote; incapacitated elector voting at home; institutional vote, and those election officials who have been provided a certificate).
Rules of Residence
Local Authorities Election Act, Section 48
A person’s place of residence for this Act is governed by the following rules:
- a person may be a resident of only one place at a time for the purposes of voting under this Act;
- if a person has more than one residence in Alberta, that person shall designate one place of residence as the person's place of residence for the purposes of this Act;
- the residence of a person is the place where the person lives and sleeps and to which, when the person is absent, the person intends to return;
- a person does not lose the person's residence by leaving the person's home for a temporary purpose;
- A student who:
- attends an educational institution within or outside Alberta;
- temporarily rents accommodation for the purpose of attending an educational institution; and
- has family members who are resident in Alberta and with whom the student ordinarily resides when not attending an educational institution,
is deemed to reside with those family members.
A person shall designate the person's place of residence in accordance with the following factors in the following order of priority:
- the address shown on the person’s driver's license or motor vehicle operator’s license issued by or on behalf of the Government of Alberta or an identification card issued by or on behalf of the Government of Alberta;
- the address to which the person’s income tax correspondence is addressed and delivered; or
- the address to which the person’s mail is addressed and delivered.
Interpreter and/or Elector Who is unable to Vote in the usual manner
If an elector does not understand the English language, an interpreter may translate the "Instructions for Electors" as well as respond to questions from the elector that are necessary for the purposes of the election. Before acting as an interpreter, it is required that the person make a statement on the prescribed form; this is the Statement of Interpreter, Elector Who is Unable to Vote in the Usual Manner, Friend or Relative of Elector Who is Unable to Vote in the Usual Manner (Form 17RSE).
If an elector is unable to vote in the usual manner, they may request assistance. This assistance may be provided by a Deputy Returning Officer, a friend, or a relative. The elector must verbally make the prescribed statement which is the Statement of Interpreter, Elector Who is Unable to Vote in the Usual Manner, Friend or Relative of Elector Who is Unable to Vote in the Usual Manner (Form 17RSE). The friend or relative of the elector is also required to make the Statement of Interpreter, Elector Who is Unable to Vote in the Usual Manner, Friend or Relative of Elector Who is Unable to Vote in the Usual Manner (Form 17RSE).
Important Principles of Voting
Local Authorities Election Act, Section 55, 56, 57
Voting is by secret ballot.
Except as permitted in the case of an incapacitated elector, no other person shall be in the voting compartment with the elector.
Except as permitted in the case of an incapacitated elector, no person shall be in a position where he/she is able to see how the elector marks the ballot.
It is an offence for an elector to show his ballot so another person can see how he/she voted, except as permitted in the case of an incapacitated elector.
No person shall be required to reveal how he/she has voted.
An elector may not vote for more than the number of persons to be elected to an office.
If applicable, an elector may vote once on each bylaw or question.
An elector may vote only once in an election.