878-AD-25, Election Bylaw — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot 3bc915e6394a · verified 2026-06-08 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

## CITY OF COLD LAKE BYLAW NO. 878-AD-25 ELECTION BYLAW ## A BYLAW OF THE CITY OF COLD LAKE IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, TO PROVIDE FOR ELECTIONS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF COLD LAKE PURSUANT TO Sections 147 and 150 of the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c M-26 and the Local Authorities Election Act, RSA 2000, c. L-21, as amended, municipalities may establish by bylaw, election procedures; WHEREAS Council wishes to establish election procedures; NOW THEREFORE pursuant to the authority of the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c M-26, as amended, the Council of the City of Cold Lake duly assembled, enacts: ## SECTION 1 - TITLE - 1.1 This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Election Bylaw". ## SECTION 2 - DEFINITIONS In this Bylaw: - 2.1 "Acf" means the Local Authorities Election Act, RSA 2000, c. L-21, as amended; - 2.2 "Advance Vote" means a vote taken in advance of Election Day; - 2.3 "Ballot" means a printed form on which is indicated the office to be voted on, the names of the candidates, the questions or bylaws posed to the electors, if any, and containing the spaces in which the elector is to mark their vote; - 2.4 "Ballot Box" means a container for Ballots that have been marked by the electors; - 2.5 "City" means the municipal corporation of the City of Cold Lake; - 2.6 "Council" means the Council of the City elected pursuant to the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c M-26, as amended; - 2.7 "Councillor" means an elected official of the City except for the Mayor; - 2.8 "Counting Centre" means an area designated by the Returning Officer in a controlled access building and equipped for the counting of votes; - 2.9 "Election" means a general election, first election, by-election and a vote on a bylaw or question held by the City; - 2.10 "Election Day" means the day fixed for voting at an Election; - 11 "Elector Register" means an Elector Register of residents in the municipality who are eligible to vo at is compiled and revised primarily using information received trom the provincial Chiet Elector - 2.12 "Eligible Electors" means the electors eligible to vote in a municipal Election in accordance with Section 47 of the Act; - 2.13 "Deputy" means the deputies as appointed by the Returning Officer in accordance with the Act; - 2.14 "Institutional Vote" means a vote conducted at a hospital, auxiliary hospital, nursing home or seniors' accommodation facility for the benefit of the electors confined to such; - 2.15 "Mayor" means the Chief Elected Official of the City; - 2.16 "Nomination Day" means the day that is four weeks before Election Day; - 2.17 "Portable Ballot Box" means a container approved by the Returning Officer and intended for use in the collection of voted Ballots in an Institutional Vote or an elector assisted at home vote; - 2.18 "Returning Officer" means the individual appointed by Council who has the powers, duties and functions as set out in the Act; - 2.19 "Special Ballot Vote" means a Ballot for an elector whose name is contained in the permanent Elector Register and who is unable to vote at an Advance Vote at the Voting Station on Election Day; - 2.20 "Voting Station" means a place where an elector votes.  ## SECTION 3 - APPLICATION - 3.1 This Bylaw shall apply to all Elections. ## SECTION 4 - ELECTION ADMINISTRATION ## Returning Officer and Substitute Returning Officer - 4.1 The General Manager of Corporate Services is hereby appointed the Returning Officer in accordance with the Act. - 4.2 The Manager of Legislative Services is hereby appointed the Substitute Returning Officer in accordance with the Act. - 4.3 Neither the Returning Officer nor the Substitute Returning Officer may be a candidate for the elected authority for the City. - 4.4 The Returning Officer may delegate any of the Returning Officer's powers, duties and functions to Deputies appointed pursuant to the Act, and will designate a presiding Deputy for each Voting Station. - 4.5 The Returning Officer is authorized to negotiate and enter into agreements on behalf of the City for the conduct of Elections for other elected authorities. ## Elector Register - 4.6 As per the Act, the Returning Officer must prepare a permanent Elector Register of residents in the City who are entitled to vote in Elections. ## Nominations - 4.7 The Returning Officer will receive nominations of candidates for the City pursuant to the Act. - 4.8 The Returning Officer may establish locations, in addition to the local jurisdiction office, where nominations may be received, pursuant to the Act. - .9 Every nomination paper that nominates a candidate for the office of Councillor or office of Mayor shal ontain a minimum of ten (10) signatures of Eligible Electors and be accompanied by a deposit in th sum of two hundred dollars ($200), pursuant to the Act. - 4.10 The deposit must be provided in cash, by certified cheque, by money order, by e-transfer or by debit card or credit card to the City. - 4.11 The deposit will be returned to the candidate in accordance with the Act. - 4.12 The nominees which are accepted may be shared publicly on the City website at time intervals as directed by the Returning Officer. ## Voting Subdivisions & Voting Stations - 4.13 The Returning Officer may: - 4.13.1 alter the boundaries of voting subdivisions and create additional voting subdivisions pursuant to the Act; - 4.13.2 designate more than one Voting Station for each subdivision and the location of those Voting Stations pursuant to the Act. - 4.14 The Returning Office will: - 4.14.1 designate the location of each Voting Station; - 4.14.2 determine the locations, and dates and times of operation, for both the Advance and Institutional Vote, if applicable. ## Ballots - 4.15 The form of the Ballot will be established by the Returning Officer. - 4.16 Following Nomination Day, the Returning Officer will ensure sufficient Ballots are printed. - 4.17 All candidate's names will be listed in alphabetical order, if applicable, on the Ballot. The names on the Ballot will appear exactly as submitted on the nomination papers. ## Advance Vote  - 4.18 An Advance Vote will be held on any vote held in an Election for the local jurisdiction.  - 4.19 The Returning Officer will determine the number and location of the Advance Vote stations and the days and hours during which they will operate. ## Institutional Vote - 4,20 The Reuni vote stoo is arborized to desi may the location dates and sins or the takimore Institutional Votes. - 4.21 The date(s) and time(s) of the Institutional Vote will be posted at the institution at least two (2) days before the vote is to be taken. ## Special Ballot Vote - 4.22 An Elector who meets the requirements in the Act, may in writing, by telephone, in person or by email, apply for a Special Ballot Vote: - 4.22.1 between August 1 in the year of the general Election and 4:30 PM on the date the first Advance Vote starts; or - 4.22.2 as determined by resolution of Council for a vote on a question or bylaw that does not coincide with an Election. - 4.23 The Returning Officer will ensure that Special Ballot Votes are issued, reviewed and received in accordance with the Act. - 4.24 The completed Special Ballot Votes must be received at the address designated by the Returning Officer no later than 4:30 PM on October 174, 2025. ## Elector Assistance At Home - 4.25 Voters who are unable to attend a Voting Station on Election Day or the Advance Vote day, due to physical disability, may vote by Special Ballot Vote. ## Elector Assistance at the Voting Station - 4.26 At the request of an elector, elector assistance will be provided in accordance with the Act. ## Campaign Signage - 4.27 Campaign signs may: - 4.27.1 be posted eight (8) weeks prior to the Election; - 4.27.2 only be posted on private property or City boulevards with the permissions of the property - 4.28 Campaign signs must be: - 4.28.1 at least 7.5 meters from intersections; - 4.28.2 removed within 48 hours of the close of the Election. - 4.29 The City Bylaw Officer may remove or request the removal of any campaign signs that become unsightly or impinge on the safety of pedestrians or traffic. ## SECTION 5 - VOTING PROCEDURES - Notwithstanding, the general voting procedures in this section, the Returning Officer will conduct an Election using a paper Ballot, the procedures for such an Election prescribed by the Act will be followed. ## Election Day Voting - 5.2 Prior to issuing a Ballot, the Deputy must ensure that: - 5.2.1 the elector is in the correct Voting Station; - 5.2.2 the elector produces identification as required by the Act; - 5.2.3 the elector gives the Statement of Elector Eligibility in the prescribed form; - 5.2.4 the elector completes the Voting Register; - 5.2.5 the Ballot issued to the elector is initialed by the Deputy; and - 5.2.6 additional instruction is provided to the voter, if requested.   - 5.3 Upon receipt of the Ballot, the elector must enter the voting booth alone to mark the Ballot, subject to the exceptions that an assistant is permitted by the Act and the elector may bring a minor child into the - 5.4 The elector shall mark the Ballot with an "X", or other eligible mark, in the space designated for a vote adjacent to the candidate(s) name(s) of their choice, and where there is a vote on a bylaw or question, beside "yes" or "no" that clearly indicates the elector's choice. - 5.5 When finished marking the Ballot, the elector shall place the voted Ballot, with the Deputy's initials showing at the top and deliver the Ballots) to the Deputy supervising the Ballot Boxes); and - 5.6 The Elector or the Deputy supervising the Ballot box shall insert the Ballot directly into the Ballot Box without exposing the choices made on the Ballot by the Elector. - 5.7 Once the elector's voted Ballot has been entered into the Ballot Box, the elector must immediately leave the Voting Station. - 5.8 In the event that the elector makes an inadvertent error in marking a Ballot, the elector may request a new Ballot upon returning the original Ballot to the Deputy who issued the original Ballot. The original Ballot shall be marked as "SPOILED" and will not be counted or included in the tally of Election results. - 5.9 The voting procedure described herein shall, during an Advance Vote, an Institutional Vote and a Special Ballot Vote, as far as possible, apply and may be modified as necessary upon the direction of the Returning Officer. ## Institutional Vote - 10 Electors at an Institutional Vote station will place their Ballot into a Portable Ballot Box designated fo allots from an Institutional Vote - 5.11 After close of Institutional Vote Stations, the Presiding Deputy Returning Officer will ensure the Portable Ballot Box is labelled, sealed, signed for, and returned to the Counting Centre to be held in a secure area. The Ballot Box must remain closed and sealed until opened for the counting of Ballots on Election Day. ## Advanced Vote - 5.12 After the close of Advance Vote Stations, the Presiding Deputy Returning Officer will ensure the Ballot Box is sealed, signed for, and returned to the Counting Centre to be held in a secure area. The Ballot Box must remain closed and sealed until opened for the counting of Ballots on Election Day. ## Special Ballot Vote - 5.13 The Ballot Box holding the votes from the Special Ballot Vote must be stored in a secure location, and sealed, however the seal may be broken to allow the deposit of a Ballot and be resealed following the deposit of any Ballot. ## SECTION 6 - POST-VOTING PROCEDURES ## Counting Centre - The Returning Officer shall determine the location of Counting Centre(s) and procedures associated with - The Returning Officer may begin counting the Advance Vote Ballot Boxes immediately after 7:30 PM on Election Day. - The Returning Officer may count the Ballots in Special Ballot Vote Ballot Boxes, Advance Vote Ballot Boxes, and the Ballots in the Institutional Vote Ballot Boxes immediately after 7:30 PM on Election Day. The results may not be generated or publicly disclosed prior to 8:00 PM on Election Day. - After the completion of counting, the Ballot Boxes and other records shall be stored as directed by the Returning Officer. - After a Voting Station closes (except as modified for Special Ballot Vote, Institutional Vote, and Advance Vote), the presiding Deputy Returning Officer must ensure that the following functions are - Election results will be sent to the Returning Officer in a manner prescribed by the Returning - 6.5.2 unused Ballots are counted;  - 6.5.4 all Election material from the Voting Station will be returned to the Counting Centre as indicated by the Returning Officer, ensuring that the Ballot Box with the voted Ballots is secured as required before transport; and - 6.5.5 the prescribed Ballot account is completed. - 6.6 The Returning Officer or Deputy supervising the Counting Centre will: - 6.6.1 receive all sealed Ballot Boxes containing used Ballots and record for each the time of arrival, the Voting Station name, and number in a check in book and initial each entry; - 6.6.2 ensure the Ballot Boxes from the Advance Vote, Institutional Vote, and Special Ballot Votes were counted; - 6.6.3 upon completion of the counting of the Election results, retain spreadsheets, if applicable, or otherwise as provided for in the Act, for the keeping of the Ballots; - 6.6.4 complete the required Ballot account. - 6.7 A Presiding Deputy Returning Officer will not allow more than one candidate, or their official agent or scrutineer, or more than one official agent or one scrutineer on either side of a vote on any bylaw or question to be present at the same time after the Voting Station is closed. - 6.8 The Returning Officer may make any decision deemed necessary for the storage of the Ballot Boxes and disposition of the contents of the Ballot Boxes. ## SECTION 7 - RECOUNT - 7.1 If the Returning Officer calls for a recount, it will be done in accordance with the Act. ## SECTION 8 - ENACTMENT/REPEAL - 8.1 This Bylaw shall come into full force and effect immediately upon the date of its final passage. - 8.2 City of Cold Lake Bylaw No. 682-AD-20, and its amendments Bylaw No. 695-AD-21, and Bylaw No. 715-AD-21are hereby repealed. FIRST READING passed in open Council duly assembled in the City of Cold Lake, in the Province of Alberta this 10" day of June, 2025, A.D. on motion by Councillor Mattice. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 'COND READING passed in open Council duly assembled in the City of Cold Lake, in the Province berta this 24' day of June. 2025. A.D. on motion by Councillor Vinir CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY Province of Albera, this 24 day of Jams, 25, 4.. Or moi duly Coumcild in chardsy of Cold Lake, in the CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY  Executed this 27" day of June, 2025. CITY OF COLD LAKE MAYOR: IS CORPORATE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER