Municipal election time is coming up in October and the city of Cold Lake is getting ready.
Information for voters and potential candidates has been posted on the city’s website, outlining everything from what kind of ID a person needs when voting, to the process of putting your name forward as a potential candidate. Election Day falls on Monday, October 16th, and information about the voting station and advance voting days will be made available closer to the date. Special ballots will also be available for residents who are incapacitated or who are out of town for the election.
Candidates will be officially named on Monday, September 18th, when Nomination Day takes place, though a candidate is still able to withdraw his or her name before noon the following day, should he or she change his or her mind. Candidates are required to submit their nomination papers between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Nomination Day, along with the $100 deposit, as outlined in the City of Cold Lake Municipal Election Procedures Bylaw.
A candidate can run either for the position of mayor or a position as councillor. All residents interested in running are advised to read through the material on the website, and contact Returning Officer Linda Mortenson if they have any questions.
Prior to Nomination Day, potential candidates who wish to raise money for their campaign or who will self-fund their campaign in excess of $10,000, must complete and submit an Application for Registration of Notice of Intent to Become a Candidate for Municipal Office prior to accepting any campaign contributions.
An updated list of all Notices of Intent that have been filed will be available under the Candidate Information webpage on coldlake.com. No campaign signs are allowed to be posted, both on public and private property, until eight weeks before Election Day.
After the election, mayor and council will have a busy agenda with legal orientation, an organizational meeting, facility tours, training, strategic priorities sessions, and the creation of a City budget that will need to be passed. A formal post-election schedule will be passed by the current council and made available on the city’s website.
For anyone considering running for municipal office with questions about the process and the rules in place, the Returning Officer can be reached at 780-594-7931 or [email protected].