MAIL IN BALLOT PROCEDURES

An Onuwosonekew (voter) will have to register in advance with the Electoral Officer (EO) or Deputy Electoral Officer (DEO) prior to requesting a Mail-in-Ballot.  To cast a mail in ballot:

  • Request in writing or by email that the EO provide a Mail-In Ballot;
  • Complete and sign the mail-in ballot registration Form # 8 and provide a copy of your identification (status card, birth certificate or drivers license)
  • Complete and sign the registration Form # 8 in the presence of a witness who is at least 18 years of age and has provided their contact information (address & phone #) so that the EO or DEO can contact witness to verify.
  • Mark the ballot by placing an “X” in one of the boxes for just one candidate for chief and up to six candidates for councillor.
  • Enclose and seal the ballot for Chief in the secrecy envelope [Form # 9];
  • Enclose and seal the ballot for Councillor in the secrecy envelope {Form #10}
  • Place completed mail-in-ballot registration Form 8 and all sealed envelopes (9 & 10) in return envelope and mail the envelope {Form 11} to the EO.

MAIL BALLOTS TO THOMPSON POST OFFICE

A Mail-in Ballot must be delivered to the Electoral Officer, Annette Swanson at P.O. Box _37_, 103 Selkirk Avenue, Thompson, Manitoba, R8N 1N4.

DATE MAIL-IN BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED

A Mail-in Ballot must be received at the Thompson post office no later than the August 25, 2026 as indicated in the election order or your ballots will not be included in the final vote results.

SPOILED OR LOST MAIL-IN BALLOTS

An Onuwosonekew (voter) who inadvertently spoils or loses a Mail-In Ballot may obtain another ballot by immediately contacting the EO or DEO who shall note in the poll book “spoiled” or “lost” ballet and then a second Mail-In Ballot will be provided to the Onuwosonekew (voter).

If the original ballot is found this ballot must be returned to the EO or DEO and will be placed in the “Spoiled Ballot Envelope”, only the second ballot issued will counted in the final votes.

PROCEDURES UPON RECEIPT OF REGISTRATION FORM

The EO or DEO may contact the Onuwosonekew (voter) if a registration form is not signed and witnessed, in order to allow the Onuwosonekew (voter) to correct the registration.  The Onuwosonekew (voter) must provide proof of identity (status card, birth certificate or drivers license) to the EO or DEO and the witness must sign the registration form in order to confirm the Mail-In Ballots were completed by that voter.

Acceptance or Rejection of Mail-in ballots

The Electoral Officer will make the determination to accept the Mail-In Ballots and the decision of the Electoral Officer is final and binding.

PROCEDURES UPON RECEIPT MAIL-IN BALLOTS

All Mail-In Ballots shall be picked up by the EO or DEO during the election days and the EO or DEO shall:

  • open each envelope and verify whether the mail-in ballot registration  Form # 8 has been completed;
  • record in a separate poll book the name of the voter and whether the voter completed the registration form;
  • highlight the voter on the voters list and place a check mark in the “voted” column;
  • place the accompanying secrecy envelope Form # 9 in the Mail-In Ballot box for Chief;
  • place the accompanying secrecy envelope Form # 10 in the Mail-In Ballot box for Councillor;
  • after all envelopes have been reviewed, the ballots will be placed in the locked ballot box for Chief and Councillor and will be kept in a safe location until election day;
  • if a Voter casts a Mail-in ballot after August 25, 2026 the Mail-in ballot shall be placed in a separate envelope (Form 12) and will not be counted;
  • all ballots shall be removed from the outside envelope and the secrecy envelope shall be placed back into the ballot box for Chief or the ballot box for Councillor and those validated ballots shall be counted separately from the in-person ballots cast;
  • if a registration form has not been provided, place both secrecy Forms # 9 & #10 back in the signed envelope and place this in the “No Registration with Ballots Envelope” (Form 13);
  • attempt to reach Onuwosonekew (voters) who sent a Mail-In Ballot but no registration form and if they send a registration form prior to the Election Day place their ballot in the sealed envelope which shall be placed in a separate Mail-in Ballot box for this purpose;
  • if the Onuwosonekew (voter) fails to provide the required registration form, mark the ballot “spoiled” and the ballots will not be counted in the final count.