Municipal elections will be held across the Island on Monday, November 6, 2000 resulting in new councils being elected in approximately 75 separate municipalities. To be eligible to vote in the municipal elections, a person must be 18 years of age or over on Election Day (November 6); be a Canadian citizen, and be ordinarily resident in his or her municipality for a period of six months preceding the date of the election.
Within the four major municipalities of Charlottetown, Summerside, Cornwall and Stratford, the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs for the Province of Prince Edward Island has offered the services of Elections PEI to oversee and run these four municipal elections. The cities and towns accepted the minister's offer and Mr. Merrill Wigginton of Elections PEI has been appointed as Chief Electoral Officer. Elections PEI is a nonpartisan independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island. In all other municipalities Elections PEI will exercise general direction and supervision over the administration and conduct of the municipal elections. Watch for our upcoming ad which will provide individual community listings with regards to election times and locations.
The municipal councils of both Charlottetown and Summerside have opted for an enumeration of all eligible voters in Charlottetown and Summerside to be carried out to compile their official list of electors for the upcoming municipal election. Therefore, within Charlottetown and Summerside only, pairs of enumerators will be calling on each household seeking the required data of each eligible voter in the household. Once the enumeration is completed, a copy will be left with each household. Enumerated voters are asked to please keep their copy of the enumeration form. This form will contain the dates, times and locations of the advance polls and the ordinary poll on election day. Should it happen that eligible voters are missed during these municipal enumerations, an eligible voter will still be able to get his or her name on the official list of electors by registering with the Returning Officer in his or her electoral ward.
Chief Electoral Officer Wigginton said, "The enumeration of electors is very important in compiling the official list of electors for the municipal election. Each eligible voter should make every effort to have his or her name on the official list of electors by cooperating with the enumerators when they call."
The towns of Cornwall and Stratford have opted to update and revise their list of eligible electors. Four days have been set aside for the registration of eligible voters missed in the enumeration. Registration will begin on October 13, 2000, and will end on October 17, 2000.
A complete list of the Returning Officers will be published in the daily newspapers. This list will include the name, address, telephone number and the fax number of each Returning Officer as well as the wards each represents.
Further information regarding the eligibility of electors and the enumeration process for the November 6 municipal election may be obtained by contacting Elections PEI, 180 Richmond Street, PO Box 774, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 7L3. Telephone (902) 368-5895, toll free at 1-888-234-vote (8683), fax number (902) 368-6500 or on the Internet at www.gov.pe.ca/election.