If you're ready to cast a ballot for who you want to see on the next Black River-Matheson council, voting opens this week.
Voting for the municipal byelection opens on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. Residents can cast their votes online and by phone, with voter help centres also being available for people who need help casting their e-votes by internet or phone.
To vote, you'll need your voter pin which was mailed to voters in a voter information letter.
The voter help centres are set up at:
- Municipal Office, 367 4th Ave.
- Vern Miller Memorial Community Centre (upstairs hall), 1 Arena Ave.
- Matheson Public Library, 352 2nd St.
- Rosedale Centre (Bingham Memorial Hospital), 507 8th Ave.
To be eligible to vote, you must be at least 18 years old on election day and be a Canadian citizen. You or your spouse must also live, rent or own property in the township, and not be otherwise prohibited by law from voting under the Municipal Elections Act or other legislation.
The slate of candidates is:
- Mayor
- Ward 1
- Bree Allen
- Tracy Procop
- Martin Zandbergen
- Ward 2
- Daniel Charbonneau
- Diane Pearson
- Steve Wilson
- Ward 3
- Norman Bilodeau
- Steven Campsall (incumbent)
- Ward 4
- Jason Edwards
- Dan DeMarchi
- Leslie Lantz
- Scott McCutcheon
- Rob Pranger
- Ward 5
- Louise Gadoury (incumbent)
- Francis Lambert
- Pauline Short-Francis
- Ward 6
- Alain Bouchard
- Tony Hansen
- Wendy Morrish
Seven council members will be elected — one mayor and one councillor in each of the six wards.
The byelection is in light of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s decision to declare all of the Matheson council seats vacant after council failed to meet quorum for meetings for 60 days. The little-used section of the Municipal Act hasn't been exercised since it took effect in the early 2000s.
In the last election in 2022, all but one of the council positions were acclaimed. With people only voting for one ward councillor, the voter turnout was 5.95 per cent — with 150 of the eligible 2,605 voters casting a ballot.
Advance voting for the byelection ends Aug. 11, with voting day on Aug. 12.
