electionsnovascotia.ca Student Voting : Elections Nova Scotia

Organization : Elections Nova Scotia
Facility : Student Voting
Province : Nova Scotia
Country : Canada

Student Voting : http://www.electionsnovascotia.ca/voters/youth
Home Page : https://electionsnovascotia.ca/home

University and Community College Students :
“This whole process seems a little intimidating – I’ve never voted before and I don’t know what half of these terms mean. Elections have a language of their own. If you’ve never voted before, chances are you have no idea what an enumerator does.”

I haven’t voted before and I don’t think I’m registered to vote? :
** Between elections, you can check to see if you are on the List or whether your information is accurate by contacting Elections Nova Scotia at 424-8584 or 1-800-565-1504; TTY 902-424-7475 or 1-866-774-7074.
** You will be asked to provide personal information, such as your date of birth, in order for Elections Nova Scotia to determine whether you are the elector wishing to check his/her information.
** For privacy reasons you can only check your own information.
** During an election, you can see if you are on the List or whether your information is accurate by contacting your local Returning Officer.
** You will be asked to provide personal information, such as your date of birth, in order for the Returning Officer to determine whether you are the elector wishing to check his/her information.
** Elections Nova Scotia also has a line for those who are deaf or hard of hearing TTY 902-424-7475 or 1-866-774-7074.
** Registration is a simple process.
** If you find that you’re not already in the Register, download an application for this site or ask for an application to be added and one will be sent to you.
** Or, you can register when you go to vote.
** While you don’t need ID to vote, you will asked for identification with your name, civic address and signature (see acceptable identification) when you register.
** If you don’t have identification, you may swear an oath and declare your name and address.

Where do I vote? :
** Most people vote in the electoral district in which they live.
** Students who live away from home while at university or college, may vote where they usually live when not at school or in the electoral district in which they live while at school, whichever they declare to be their residence.
** They may vote at a returning office, at an advance poll, at a campus poll or on election day.
** If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Elections Nova Scotia or your local Returning Office.

I know I’m not on the Voters’ List – can I still vote? :
** If your name isn’t on the Voters’ List you are still eligible to vote.
** Simply come to the poll on election day with I.D. that displays your name, address, and signature (a driver’s license works well).
** Acceptable identification includes an original piece of ID showing the voter’s name and physical address, rather than a post office box number, and your signature.
** If you do not have such identification, or that identification does not adequately reflect your residence, you must sign a declaration attesting to your identity and residence.

I want to vote but I know I won’t be able to election day – what do I do? :
You have a few options:
** You can come to an advance poll. Your Returning Officer will advertise all advance polls in your electoral district.
** You can vote at your returning office or any returning office in the province on most days except Sunday.
** Or, you can vote at a campus poll at your university or community college.
** If you still can’t find a time to come vote, you can vote by write-in ballot.
** You will need to fill out a request for a write-in ballot and send it in to the Returning Office.
** Once your ballot arrives, you need to fill it out and get it to your returning office by 8:00 pm on election Night.
** Write-in Ballot Application Form

I don’t feel informed enough to vote. I really don’t have a position on ‘the issues’. :
** Informed or not – everyone is affected by the results of elections.
** Consider the issues important to you.
** Take a moment and read up on Nova Scotia’s registered political parties and where they stand on issues important to you.

Students attending school in Nova Scotia :
** The following conditions apply if you are studying at a school located in Nova Scotia, but live away from home.
** If you are a post-secondary student from Nova Scotia, you must vote in the electoral district that you consider your residence, either the place where you live while at university or college or the place in Nova Scotia where you lived prior to going to university and intend to return at the end of the school year.
** You can choose one or the other as your residence when you register to vote but not both.

You can vote in one of six ways:
** at your campus poll – a poll set up for 2-5 days right on campus (check for dates and times)
** on election day at your polling location
** at an advance poll
** by write-in ballot at the continuous poll at your returning office
** at a campus poll at your university or community college
** by write-in ballot at the out-of-district poll at any returning office OR
** by mailing in a write-in ballot

EXAMPLE :
** Eileen is a first-year student from Ottawa.
** A Nova Scotia provincial general election is called for the electoral district where she lives in Antigonish while attending university.
** She is not an elector as she does not meet the six- month provincial residency rule.
** William is from Digby but he lives in Halifax while attending university.
** He is an elector and may declare either the electoral district in which he lives in Halifax or in Digby as his residence