Voters in Thompson will have eight days to cast advance ballots for the provincial election starting next Thursday.
Election day itself is Sept. 10.
In Thompson, advance voting will be available from Aug. 29 to Sept. 5 at the returning office on Selkirk Drive and in the City Centre Mall. Advance polls will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Sept. 1, when they will be open from noon to 6 p.m. The voting place at the mall will not be open Sept. 2.
Elsewhere in the Thompson electoral district, advance voting will be available Aug. 30 at the Churchill Town Centre Complex and Sept. 3 at the Fox Lake Cree Nation band office, the Paint Lake Fire Hall, the Pikwitonei Council Office, the Thicket Portage Community Hall, the Wabowden Community Hall, the War Lake band office in Ilford and the York Landing Arena. Advance voting is open Sept. 3-4 at the Gilbert McDonald Arena in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and the Gillam Recreation Centre, and Sept. 4 at the Tataskweyak Cree Nation Hall. All the advance voting times outside Thompson are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Advance voting times and places in the Keewatinook electoral district include Sept. 4 at the Bunibonibee Cree Nation band office in Oxford House, the Manto Sipi Community Hall in Gods River, the Garden Hill Recreation Centre, the Gods Lake Narrows Community Centre in God’s Lake First Nation, the Red Sucker Lake First Nation band hall, the Shamattawa band office, the St. Theresa Point First Nation band hall and the Wasagamack First Nation band office. All of those advance voting locations are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 4 but the St. Theresa Point First Nation band hall also has advance voting on Sept. 3 and Sept. 5, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days.
Provincewide there are more than 300 advance voting places and eligible voters can cast their ballot at any advance voting location.
Voters who will be away at election time can apply for absentee voting kits. The deadline to apply is Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. but voters should try to apply by Aug. 30 to ensure the kit is delivered with enough time to return it. Absentee voter applications must include copies of government–issued voter identification (such as a driver’s licence) or two other forms of acceptable identification.
Homebound voters can fill out applications for homebound voting at electionsmanitoba.ca or their local returning office. Completed applications must be received at the returning office, along with copies of acceptable identification, by 8 p.m. Sept. 9.
Elections Manitoba can also provide voters with language or sign language interpreters, Braille ballot templates, large print lists of candidates, magnifying rulers and easy-grip pencils. Voters can also bring someone to help them vote or receive assistance from a voting officer. Requests for interpreters should be made in advance at the voter’s local returning office by Sept. 2.
To vote in advance, people who are on the voters list require one piece of government-issued photo identification such as a driver’s licence, an enhanced Manitoba identification card, a passport or a treaty card, or two documents that include their name, such as a Manitoba Health card, a social insurance card, a utility bill or a credit card. People with the correct identification who are not on the voters list must take an oath and anyone who has no identification that includes their address will be asked to sign a voter registration card.
People who are on the voters list but do not have identification may bring another voter with the correct identification from the same electoral district to vouch for them on election day (Sept. 10) only. The person vouching for another voter must sign an oath affirming that person’s identity and can only vouch for one voter.
Voters must be Canadian citizens, at least 18 years old, and Manitoba residents for at least six months prior to the election date.
