THUNDER BAY – Nathan Small intends to vote for the first time in his life next Monday.
The 19-year-old was one of approximately 25 people who at a revision day hosted Monday at the Shelter House either signed up or changed their address to vote in the Oct. 27 municipal election.
“It’s our right to vote,” he said after registering. “Even if you don’t have an address you should still be allowed to vote.”
Clients will also be able to vote at the Shelter House on election day, as a building poll will be hosted there for the first time in the city’s history.
City clerk and returning officer John Hannam said the revision day, along with the polling station at Shelter House on election, are examples of how the ballot is being made more accessible.
“Voting is one of the fundamental building blocks of being a citizen in any community. That’s an opportunity that needs to be extended to all members of the community,” Hannam said.
“The fact that you don’t currently have a residence shouldn’t be an obstacle.”
People directly affected by poverty and homelessness should be able to support candidates who make their issues a priority, Small said.
He believes voting is not a right that should simply be taken for granted.
“If you don’t vote that means you’re happy with the system,” Small said. “That’s why everybody should vote, even if they just spoil your ballot you still made the courtesy to say you don’t support anything.”
One of the most difficult tasks for election workers is registering voters who may be lacking pieces of identification, such as a driver’s license or anything identifying an address.
That has been made easier since changes to legislation in 2010 that allowed for individuals can swear an affidavit of residency as long as they have some form of identification.
With this being the first time the city and organization have collaborated for a municipal election, Shelter House executive director Patty Hajdu said it is an exploratory effort and they aren’t sure what will define it as being successful.
There definitely has been an interest in exercising the right to vote.
“There was a real sense of enthusiasm,” she said. “I think people want to exercise that opportunity and we do people a disservice when we assume they don’t.”
Those signing up also received brochures describing how to access information on the candidates in all of the races. The Shelter House has also invited candidates to volunteer in the soup kitchen later this week if they want to interact with some of the voters.
