The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer would like to clarify some issues regarding Student Voting in the upcoming Provincial General Election.

Ultimately, it is up to students in the province to decide where they are "ordinarily resident." Students should consider the following in determining where they consider themselves to be "ordinarily resident."

According to the Elections Act, 1991, ordinary residence is "that place in which [an elector] has his or her principal or only residence, home, lodging or habitation." Furthermore, "a person who has left his or her place of residence in the province to pursue a course of study at an educational institution either outside or within the province is considered to be ordinarily resident in the place where he or she was residing immediately before leaving to pursue the course of study, and he or she is considered to continue to have that ordinary residence until he or she completes or abandons the course of study."

If a student is living away from home to attend an educational institution and does not intend to return to the community from which they came to establish their permanent residence, then they may vote in the district where they are currently living. They will have to ensure that they are registered in that area, and will have to produce identification and swear an oath at the polling station.

It should be noted that students cannot simply vote where ever he or she chooses. This is not a matter of students "not being home on polling day." They must decide for themselves where they consider their home base, and should therefore vote in that district.

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Media contact:
Adrienne Baird
Public Relations Specialist
Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
709-729-2534