Town of Coaldale encouraging residents to be ready for fall election

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

The Town of Coaldale is encouraging residents to verify their voter registration status with Elections Alberta to ensure a streamlined voting process in the 2025 general municipal election, scheduled to take place this fall.  

Coaldale residents can review and/or update their voter registration status at http://www.voterlink.ab.ca 

In October 2024, the Government of Alberta made a number of amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) to enhance the integrity of local elections and strengthening Albertans’ trust in local democracy. Of these amendments, one of the most significant changes is that Alberta municipalities, including Coaldale, are now required to create a permanent electors register.

“A permanent electors register is essentially a list of eligible voters within a given jurisdiction,” said Lana Antony, municipal clerk for the Town of Coaldale. “In previous elections, municipalities could choose to develop one or not, but because of recent amendments to the LAEA, municipalities no longer have that choice and must develop one in partnership with Elections Alberta. 

“What this means is that all eligible voters in Coaldale should ensure they are listed in the provincial register before the election. Voters who are already registered with Elections Alberta will find their names automatically included on the municipal voters’ list and won’t have to spend extra time at the polls filling out paperwork.”

On Election Day, unregistered voters will still be able to vote but will first be required to make an official statement of eligibility in the presence of an officer at the voting station by filling out an elector register form – which could cause delays.

“By filling out an elector register form, what you’re saying is that I am who I say I am and can prove it by producing government issued photo ID,” said Antony. “It’s not a complicated process, but it will slow things down if a majority of eligible voters forget to update or review their voter registration status prior to the election.”

All voters, whether they are registered or not, will be required to verify their identity by producing one piece of photo ID issued by a Canadian government (whether federal, provincial or local) or an agency of that government.

To learn about other important amendments to the LAEA, including to vouching rules and rules concerning automated voting equipment such as electronic tabulators, visit http://www.alberta.ca/system/files/ma-municipal-affairs-statutes-amendment-act-fact-sheet.pdf.

The 2025 General Municipal Election will take place on Monday, October 20.