City officials urging Calgarians to ensure they are registered to vote in municipal election

Following calls from a candidate for mayor, the city is putting out a notice for people to check and make sure they are registered to vote in the municipal election this fall.

Calgary Party mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen commented on the issue this week, saying there has been a communications failure from the province and the city over the change enacted by the Alberta government.

Under the new rules, municipalities are now required to prepare and maintain a permanent electors register of residents who are eligible to vote.

Thiessen says he is concerned that the deadline to register is on Aug. 26; after that, people will need to register at the polls on voting day, which he says could cause long lines.

Elections Calgary says the province’s voterlink.ab.ca is where people can check if they are registered and enter information to get registered.

“Eligible voters will be able to cast their ballot even if they are not on the electors register,” reads a release from the city. “When eligible voters arrive at the voting station in October, they can present acceptable identification and complete a form that will add their name and information to the electors register before they cast their ballot.”

Voters should expect to get a guide with more details and a Voter Information Card in the mail at some point in September.

The municipal election is on Oct. 20. More information can be found here.