Proxy voting an option for voters to cast their ballot
Niagara voters unable to cast their ballot on Election Day, or attend an Advance Poll, have another option: a voting proxy. A voting proxy is someone who will cast a ballot on another’s behalf in their absence.
To appoint a voting proxy, voters must complete the Appointment for Voting Proxy – Form 3, which can be found at niagaravotes.ca, or can be picked up at your local municipal Clerk’s office during regular business hours, including Voting Day.
In order to be certified to act as a proxy, appointees are to have Form 3 signed by their appointing voter and bring the originally signed form to their municipal Clerk’s office. The Clerk will review the form and may certify the appointment after considering whether the person who appointed the voting proxy is entitled to do so and that the person appointed is entitled to act as the other’s voting proxy. Once certified, the proxy appointment must be presented at the voting location of the elector they are voting for.
“We recommend that anyone voting as a proxy, do so during the advance voting dates of your municipality to allow for the additional time required to process the proxy,” said Amber LaPointe, Manager of Legislative Services/City Clerk, City of Port Colborne.
Niagara voters can only act as a voting proxy for one person who is not a relative; however, can be appointed for multiple persons if they are relatives. Relatives includes spouses or sibling(s), parent(s), child(ren), or grandparent(s) and grandchild(ren).
The 2018 Municipal & School Board Elections are October 22, 2018.
Visit niagaravotes.ca, or contact your local municipal Clerk’s office or website to learn more about voting requirements and options. All Niagara municipalities offer proxy voting with the exception of the Town of Grimsby.
About Niagara Votes 2018
Election staff from the Region and all 12 Local Area Municipalities have partnered to streamline communications. This partnership is the first of its kind, designed to ensure candidates and electors across Niagara are aware of key dates and information for the 2018 Municipal and School Board Elections.