The municipal election is now just two weeks away, and it's important to plan ahead and know how and when you can vote.
For the City and RM of Dauphin, voting is taking place at the Dauphin Friendship Centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on October 26th, but what can you do if you're unable to make it to the voting station that day? Well, there are a few ways that people in the City and RM can vote ahead of time if they aren't able to make it on the 26th.
Senior Election Official Kirk Dawson says the goal is to get as many people to vote as possible, and they want to make it accessible for everyone.
"We're trying to encourage as many people as possible to have access to voting. So if you're going to be away for some reason, you have holiday plans, you can't make it out that day, you've only got a ride on certain days, you're gonna be away for whatever reason, medical reason, that type of thing. You're just not available on the 26th voting day, we would encourage you to come and do the advanced voting."
The first way is advanced voting, which is taking place for both the City and RM of Dauphin next week. The RM of Dauphin advanced voting will be taking place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the RM Council Chambers on Tuesday, October 18th. The advance voting for the City of Dauphin is at the City Council Chambers on Thursday, October 20th from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you're also unable to make the advanced voting day, Dawson says that both the City and RM will have sealed envelope voting available from now until the 23rd.
"You need to go to the RM Office or the City Office, depending on which jurisdiction you vote in, and give them your reason, basically saying I'm not gonna be available on either day, have I.D. so we'll check you on the voter's list, and if you're there, we will give you sealed envelopes with the ballots, and you can fill them out right there and leave the ballots with them, or you can take them away, complete them, and mail them back. As long as they're back before October the 23rd."
There's also going to be a mobile voting station, which will be going around to care facilities on elections day, so people at those facilities have the opportunity to vote. The mobile station will be at the following locations on October 26th:
- Parkview Lodge from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
- Lorray Manor from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Dauphin Personal Care Home from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Dauphin Regional Health Centre from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- St. George's Place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- St. Paul's Home from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
- Happy Haven Home from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
- Spruce Manor from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
- Kinsman Villa from 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
You can find a full list of candidates running for Mayor, Reeve, Councilor, or School Trustee here.
