The next municipal election is October 20, 2018. You can vote in the election in Kamloops if you:

• are a Canadian citizen *
• are 18 years of age or older on general voting day
• have lived in BC for at least six months
• have lived in Kamloops for at least thirty days
• are not disqualified by law from voting

All Kamloops residents who meet these requirements can vote. It does not matter if you rent or own your home. If you own property in Kamloops but live somewhere else in BC, you can also vote in Kamloops elections. This is called being a “non-resident property elector.” As such, you can vote, as long as you meet the following criteria:

• are a Canadian citizen*
• are 18 years of age or older on general voting day
• have lived in BC for at least six months
• have owned real estate in Kamloops, registered in your name, for at least thirty days
• are not disqualified by law from voting

Non-resident property electors can vote only once, regardless of the number of properties they own. Please note: If there is more than one registered owner of a property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the other owners, register as a “non-resident property elector”. If you have any questions about registering and voting as a “non-resident property elector,” contact election staff at 250-828-3363 or election@kamloops.ca. *Landed immigrants who are not yet Canadian citizens are not permitted to vote in civic elections. *Corporations are not entitled to vote.

You do not need to register to vote. To vote in a municipal election in Kamloops, all you have to do is go to a voting location on Election Day, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm and present two pieces of ID, at least one with your signature and one with your address, to the registration clerk, and then your name will be recorded and you can cast your ballot. Here are the kinds of ID that are acceptable:

• BC Driver’s License
• BC ID card from Motor Vehicle Branch
• ICBC Owner’s Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle License
• BC Care Card
• Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8
• Social Insurance card
• Citizenship card
• Property tax notice
• Credit card or debit card
• Utility bill for electricity, natural gas, water, telephone or cable services
• Income assistance cheque stub showing name and ID number
• Statutory declaration or sworn affidavit (from a notary public, lawyer, or commissioner for taking oaths)

Eligible City of Kamloops voters will be electing one Mayor, eight Councillors and five School Trustees. On the ballot, do not vote for more candidates than there are candidates to be elected; however, you may vote for less than are required. For example, you can vote for a maximum of eight Councillors, but you may choose to vote for only six Councillor candidates.

General Voting Day is Saturday, October 20, 2018. There are fifteen voting locations open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, with the exception of Sahali Mall, which will offer voting hours between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm. There are also Advance Voting Opportunities on October 10, 11 and 17. All Advance Voting will take place at Heritage House from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. For addresses and locations, please refer to the map of voting locations here, or refer to the list below:

• Lloyd George Elementary, 830 Pine St.
• Heritage House, 100 Lorne St.
• Sahali Mall, 945 Columbia St. West
• South Sahali Elementary, 1585 Summit Dr.
• Aberdeen Elementary, 2191 Van Horne Dr.
• Dufferin Elementary, 1880 Hillside Dr.
• Valleyview Secondary, 1950 Valleyview Dr.
• Dallas Elementary, 296 Harper Rd.
• R.L. Clemitson Elementary, 5990 Todd Rd.
• Arthur Hatton Elementary, 315 Chestnut Ave.
• NorKam Secondary, 730 12th St.
• Parkcrest Elementary, 2170 Parkcrest Ave.
• Westmount Elementary, 745 Walkem Rd.
• Arthur Stevenson Elementary, 2890 Bank Rd.
• Rayleigh Elementary, 306 Puett Ranch Rd.

Voting by Mail: Mail ballot voting is only available to those who have a physical disability, illness or injury that prevents them from voting at another voting opportunity, or persons who expect to be absent from the city on Advance and General Voting Days. Applications for mail ballots will be available in August. Details will be posted here. Special Voting Opportunities: Special Voting Opportunities will be held at a number of assisted living/care homes in Kamloops for residents, patients, or employees on duty. Information will also be provided regarding Advance Voting Opportunities, as well as  details on voting locations on General Voting Day, in order to help the facilities coordinate support for their residents to get out and vote. A Special Voting Opportunity will be held at Thompson Rivers University(TRU) on October 17, for students, staff and guests.

Voting in a municipal election is an important part of the democratic process. Elected officials make many decisions that affect you, your family and your neighbours every day – decisions that impact what your city and neighbourhood streets, parks, and developments look like, how the city will grow an develop, where businesses may operate, when recreation opportunities are available, and more. Your vote counts!

If you need help to vote (for example, to read the names, or to fill in the ballot), ask for the Presiding Election Official (PEO) in charge at the voting location. All election staff must take an oath to preserve the secrecy of the ballot, so they can help voters with a physical disability or who have difficulty reading or writing. Or, you can bring someone you know to the voting place to help you. This person will have to take an oath of secrecy and complete a form with assistance from the PEO. If you are unable to enter the voting location, election staff will conduct “curbside” voting where they bring the registration book and the ballot to you. For more information about the process, please contact election staff at 250-828-3363 or election@kamloops.ca.

Yes. If English is your second language; you may bring your own translator to the voting location to assist you. They will be required to take an oath of secrecy and complete a form with assistance from the Presiding Election Official (PEO), prior to assisting you.

• BC Driver’s License*
• BC ID card from Motor Vehicle Branch
• ICBC Owner’s Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle License
• BC Care Card*
• Status Card
• Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8
• Social Insurance card
• Citizenship card
• Property tax notice
• Credit card or debit card
• Utility bill for electricity, natural gas, water, telephone or cable services
• Income assistance cheque stub showing name and ID number
• Statutory declaration or sworn affidavit (from a notary public, lawyer, or commissioner for taking oaths)

*Please note: The combined BC Driver’s Licence and BC Care Card will be considered as ONE piece of ID.