Where and when to vote is a question on the minds of many, particularly those with mobility concerns or who will be absent on the provincial election day – Tuesday, April 16.
While advance polls and special ballot information is outlined below, much misconstrued information is clogging social media airwaves regarding voter registration and the Eagle would like to set the record straight:
It is not a requirement to pre-register in order to vote. If you forgot or simply opted not to pre-register online, fear not as this can be done on voting day or at any advance poll station. Just don't forget to bring your valid identification.
The encouragement to pre-register is simply to keep lines flowing smoothly and lessen wait times.
Editor's note: our staff checked to see if they were registered, and had lived at the same address and voted in the 2015 provincial election, and they were not registered. It took them less than five minutes to complete the online registration and the only identification needed was a valid Alberta driver's licence.
Pre-registration is encouraged, although is not mandatory and can be done on election day or ahead of time at voterlink.ab.ca.
The purpose of Voterlink is for first-time voters; those who may not have updated personal information such as name change or change of address; and to check on registration status.
Where to vote
All voters should get a 'where to vote' card in the mail. This information will also be printed in the Thursday, April 11 edition of the Cochrane Eagle and online.
Voters can also got to elections.ab.ca to look up where to vote.
Advance Polls
Advance poll days run from April 9 to 13 (Tuesday through Saturday) and will be located in Cochrane at the Returning Officer's office located at 215B 100 Grand Blvd (the second floor of Two Pharmacy).
In Airdrie, this is at the DayBreak Community Church at 2104 Yankee Valley Blvd.
In Bearspaw, this is at the Bearspaw Lions Club at 25240 Nagway Road, Calgary.
Office hours in Cochrane are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturdays. The office is closed on Sundays. Lorraine Romaine, the local Returning Officer, can also be reached at 587-355-1223.
With respect to advance polls, anyone in the province can vote at any advance poll location (for example if travelling from Edmonton and you are in Cochrane, you could choose to vote in Cochrane on an advance polling day).
Special Ballots
A special ballot can be requested by visiting your local Returning Officer's office and explaining why you cannot vote on any of the advance poll or election days. This voter would then be issued a special ballot.
If this voter chooses not to vote by the special ballot they have received, they will not be able to vote on advance poll or election days – as their names have already been crossed off the voter list.
On Election Day
Election day hours on April 16 are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters (unlike advance polls) must vote at their designated poll station.
To be eligible to vote, one must be 18 years of age and an Alberta resident.
For a full list of acceptable identification to vote, visit elections.ab.ca.
There will be 14 polling stations in the electoral district (riding) for Airdrie-Cochrane.
For Cochrane: the Lions Event Centre (two polling stations); Bow Valley High School; Ecole Notre Dame des Vallees; Fireside Elementary; RancheView School; and Frank Wills Memorial Hall.
For Airdrie and the County: Bearspaw Historical; Bearspaw Lions Club; Balzac Community Hall; DayBreak Community Church; Golden Rod Community Hall; Ralph McCall School; Windsong Heights School.
There will also be mobile polls at Big Hill Lodge and Bethany Cochrane – the two supportive living residences in Cochrane.
For those with mobility concerns, without family, friends or neighbours to safely drive them to and from polls, most local candidates will send volunteer drivers to assist.
