Lesson 6: The Voting Process

Opening Discussion Have you ever voted for something before? How was the winner decided? Did you think the process was fair? Why or why not?

Who is eligible to vote? To be eligible to vote in the local elections in British Columbia, you must: –Be a Canadian citizen. –Be at least 18 years of age on voting day. –Be 18 years of age or more on general voting day. –Have lived in BC for at least six months before you register to vote. –Have lived or owned property in the municipality, regional district or school district where you wish to vote for 30 days or more before you register to vote.

What do I need in order to vote? If your name is on the voter’s list, you do not need to provide identification in order to vote. If you are not already registered to vote, you can vote at the voting place by filling out a voter’s registration card and having two pieces of identification.

What is the voting process? 1.Once you confirm your eligibility, you are given a ballot. 2.Go behind a voting screen and mark your ballot. 3.Hand your folded ballot back to the voting clerk. 4.Your ballot is recorded and counted.

How do I mark my ballot? A ballot lists the names of the candidates running for each position or office in your local election. Voting is done by secret ballot. No one except the voter knows the choice that was made. The voter must clearly mark the ballot for their preference for it to be accepted (e.g., checkmark, x, shading in).

Rejected and Spoiled Ballots A rejected ballot is a ballot that cannot be counted because it was not properly marked. (For example, your ballot is rejected if you try to vote for more than the number of candidates you are allowed to choose.) A spoiled ballot is one that was kept separate and never placed in the ballot box because it was mistakenly marked or torn and exchanged for a new ballot.

What are advance voting opportunities? Electors who are away, busy or unable to vote on election day, have the option of participating in advance voting. Advance voting is held prior to election day.

Final Thoughts How will you prepare to vote? How do you know if you are ready to vote? How can you encourage eligible voters that you know to cast their ballot?