Voting poster at Mac Island, photo by Jon Tupper
FORT McMURRAY — Residents across the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo are casting their ballots today to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees.
Voting stations are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and voters must cast their ballots at a designated location within their ward. Polling stations include SMS Equipment Place, the Quality Hotel, Keyano Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre, Doug Barnes Cabin, and the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts in Fort McMurray. Other sites include Mamawi Hall in Fort Chipewyan, the Fort McKay Community Centre, Vista Ridge in Saprae Creek Estates, the Anzac Recreation Centre, Conklin Multiplex and the Janvier Municipal Office.
Voters can visit rmwb.ca/election to find information about locations, identification requirements and candidate profiles. Accepted identification must show the voter’s name and current address, such as a driver’s licence, insurance card, credit card statement or government cheque.
Because of new provincial rules requiring hand-counted ballots, the municipality says official results will not be available on election night, and ongoing tallies will not be shared. Unofficial results are expected Tuesday, with official results later this week.
Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi was in Fort McMurray last week encouraging residents to take part in the vote. The former Calgary mayor met with locals to discuss issues ranging from the teachers strike to healthcare during an interview with Harvard Media News, where he urged residents to get out and vote.
That message appears to be resonating. The RMWB recorded more than 1,800 ballots cast during advance voting, a record for the region. Municipal officials hope to see a higher overall turnout than the roughly 25 per cent of eligible voters who participated in the 2021 election.
Residents with questions can contact Pulse at rmwb.ca/pulse or call 780-743-7000.
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