WHITEWATER REGION — The final voting day for the Ontario municipal election is Monday, Oct. 22.
In Whitewater Region, there will be no paper ballot voting on Oct. 22 – only internet and telephone.
However, there will be four advanced polls with paper balloting., and, internet and telephone banking will happen for 10 days, 24-hours a day – starting 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 12 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22.
At its April 17, 2017 council meeting, council passed a bylaw with how municipal election voting will take place in Whitewater Region, said Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Robert Tremblay, who is in charge of the election.
There are various reasons for this, but time being one of the biggest, he said. The last election results were not available until 1:30 a.m. It’s expected results will be known this year shortly after 8:30 p.m., he said.
“We wanted to make voting day as easy as possible,” he said.
The paper ballot voting will take place between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the following locations:
Saturday, Oct. 13: Beachburg Public School; Wednesday, Oct. 17: community hall at the township office in Cobden; Thursday, Oct. 18: Westmeath Community Hall (above the rink); and Saturday, Oct. 20, Whitewater Wesleyan Community Church.
CAO/Clerk Tremblay noted any registered voter can go to any of those polls and use a paper ballot.
There will also be telephone and internet voting during office hours at the township office, he said.
Each registered voter should receive a letter by Thanksgiving advising them how to vote, CAO Tremblay said. If any voter hasn’t received this letter, contact the office.
“We are providing as many opportunities as we can for people to vote,” he said.
There are 17 candidates vying for the seven positions on council – one mayor, one reeve and five councillors.
Whitewater News has published articles on many of the candidates.
Cathy Regier, running for Reeve: May 17
Hal Johnson, running for Mayor (incumbent): May 24
Dave Shields, trustee, Renfrew County District School Board, acclaimed: May 31
Charlene Jackson, Councillor, (incumbent): July 5
Daryl McLaughlin, Councillor, (incumbent): July 12
Dave Mackay, Councillor, (incumbent): August 2
Donnie Rathwell, Councillor: August 9
Jim Butterworth, Councillor: August 16
Mike Moore, Mayor: August 23
Joe Kowalski, Reeve: September 6
Neil Nicholson, Councillor: September 13
Allan Lance, Councillor: September 13
Chris Olmstead, Councillor (incumbent): September 13.
Councillor candidates who have yet to make an appointment for an interview or submit their own story are Donna Burns, John Felix Cull, John (Kyle) Dupuis, Ron Laronde, and Nell Rooney.
