Frequently Asked Questions
Voting
Q. Do I need to bring anything when I go vote?
A. If you received a Voter Information Card in the mail at your current address, and the name and address information on it is correct, your name is on the List of Electors and you will not need to show ID to vote.
Although you do not need a Voter Information Card to vote, if you bring it with you to vote, you will be able to vote more quickly, because your name will be found on the list much faster.
If you are not on the List of Electors, you will have to be added before voting.
Q. How do you vote?
A. Electors will receive a paper ballot with circles next to each candidate’s name or plebiscite question. The ballot is placed in a secrecy sleeve so that they can carry the ballot in the polling location without showing their choices.
Using a regular marker, electors simply have to fill in the circles as appropriate, and replace the ballot into the secrecy sleeve. Electors then carry the ballot and sleeve to the ballot box.
Q. What are special ballots, and who can use them to vote?
I am, or know, a person who is ill at home and cannot go to the polls on polling day: how can I or my friend vote?
A. Special Ballots are a form of ballot used to allow voting by people who are outside of their own electoral district or electoral region or who otherwise cannot or do not want to go to the polls. This includes home-bound voters, those in hospital, or those travelling, working or studying out of their district during an election. Any returning office can issue a special ballot for a voter from any electoral district or electoral region in the province.
For home-bound or hospitalized voters, election officials from the local returning office will take a ballot and ballot box to the voter to allow the person to vote independently. A care-giver spouse of a home-bound voter may vote at the same time, if they wish. Simply call the returning office to make arrangements to vote.
Voters travelling, working or studying in the province but out of their own district during an election may vote at any returning office for their home electoral district. Those travelling, working or studying out of the province must contact their home returning office, which will send a ballot to them; call or e-mail as soon as possible, to ensure your ballot can be returned on time.
Q. Who are the candidates in the election and how can I get in touch with them?
A. A list of the candidates is available on the Elections NB website at www.electionsnb.ca.
Alternately, you can call your Returning Office for a list of the candidates in your region.
The Returning Office has contact information for the candidates.
Q. Will someone come and drive me to the polls if I do not have access to transportation?
A. You will need to contact the candidate of your choice if you require transportation to the polls.
Q. I want to lodge a complaint against an election worker.
A. Advise your Returning Officer by phone.
If you are not satisfied with the response, give your complaint in writing to the Returning Office and send a copy to Elections NB.
Q. What was the turnout in my district in the last provincial election?
A. A Report of the Chief Electoral Officer is available from Elections NB in paper form, or can be downloaded from www.electionsnb.ca.
Q. A friend or family member will be in a correctional facility during the election: can he or she vote?
A. Yes: special ballots are used to enable inmates in correctional facilities to vote. Information and application forms are sent to all facilities in the province so these voters can obtain ballots.
Q. What is an Additional Poll?
A. Additional polls are held mostly at nursing homes, special care homes, and extended care units of some hospitals. It is a poll which moves from bed to bed on election day to take the votes of eligible voters who are unable to easily vote.