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Mail Ballot Voting

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MAIL BALLOT VOTING
Pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Act and section 6.0 of Bylaw No. 1104 Procedures for Conduct of Elections and Other Voting (2018):

As authorized pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Act, the Council authorizes voting to be done by mail ballot and, in relation to this, may permit elector registration to be done in conjunction with this voting.

Pursuant to section 6.1 of Bylaw No. 1104, in accordance pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Act:

• (a) persons who have a physical disability, illness or injury that affects their ability to vote at another voting opportunity; and
• (b) persons who expect to be absent from the municipality on general voting day and at the times of all advance voting opportunities are permitted to vote by mail ballot.

Pursuant to section 6.2, a person wishing to vote by mail ballot shall apply by giving their name and address, address of the property in relation to which you are voting (for non-resident property electors), to the chief election officer in person at the District of Houston Municipal Office 3367 - 12th Street, by phone at 250-845-2238, or by email to mswift@houston.ca, or to the person designated by the chief election officer for such purposes, during the period commencing 7 days before the first day of advance voting and ending at 4:00 pm on the Thursday two days before general voting day.

Pursuant to section 6.3, upon receipt of a request for a mail ballot and commencing on the first day of advance voting, the Chief Election Officer must:

• (a) make available to the applicant, a mail ballot package, together with a statement advising the elector that the elector must meet one or more of the mail ballot requirements specified in subsection 6.1, and that they must attest to such fact; and
• (b) immediately record and, upon request, make available for inspection:
• (i) the name and address of the person to whom the mail ballot package was issued; and
• (ii) information as to whether the person is registered as an elector, or is a "new elector", if that person is not on the register of electors.

Pursuant to section 6.4/6.5, in order to vote using a mail ballot, the elector must mark the ballot in accordance with the instructions contained in the mail ballot package provided by the Chief Election Officer. After marking the mail ballot, the elector must:

• (a) place the mail ballot in the secrecy envelope provided, and seal the secrecy envelope;
• (b) place the secrecy envelope in the certification envelope, and complete and sign the certification printed on such envelope, and then seal the certification envelope;
• (c) place the certification envelope, together with a completed elector registration application, if required, in the outer envelope, and then seal the outer envelope;
• (d) mail, the outer envelope and its contents to the Chief Election Officer at the District of Houston, P.O. Box 370, Houston, B.C. V0J 1Z0 so that it is received no later than the close of voting on General Voting Day; or
• (e) have delivered, the outer envelope and its contents to the Chief Election Officer at Election Headquarters located at the Houston Community Hall, 2302 Butler Avenue, Houston, BC. V0J 1Z0 so that it is received no later than the close of voting on General Voting Day.

District of Houston Chief Elections Officer Contact Information:
Madelaine Swift, Chief Elections Officer
PO Box 370 | Houston, BC | V0J 1Z0
3367 - 12th Street
P: 250-845-2238
E: mswift@houston.ca