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- ReLaunch of Artsvote: http://www.blogto.com/events/16706 via @addthis
- Reminder: ArtsVote Toronto 2010 launches tomorrow Nov 17 5-7pm @ Urbanspace Gallery 401 Richmond St. #artsvote2010 http://artsvotetoronto.ca
- Come out to the launch of ArtsVote 2010 on Tues Nov 17, 5–7pm @ Urbanspace Gallery, 401 Richmond St. #artsvote2010
- Sign up to find out more about ArtsVote and how to help out at http://artsvotetoronto.ca!
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FAQ
Who is on the Artsvote Committee?
The Artsvote Committe is comprised of artists and cultural workers in Toronto, each representing a different discipline.
Steering Commitee:
Jacoba Knaapen and Camilla Holland (Co-Chairs)
Ravi Jain, Shannon Litzenberger, Sue Edworthy & Jini Stolk
Maxine Bailey, Film and Media
Amanda Lynne Ballard, College and University Liaison
Julia Drake, Large Institutions
Sue Edworthy, Social Media
Jane Hargraft, Opera
Lynda Hill, Art for Children and Families
Christine Moynihan, Dance
Evan Munday & Chris Reed, Literary
Kelly Rintoul, Visual Arts
Gavin Sheppard, Urban Arts
Donna Michelle St. Bernard, Theatre
Jason Van Eck, Music
What am I voting for in this election?
The City government is involved in many aspects of our daily lives – from fixing roads, providing water and electricity, collecting garbage, caring for children and the elderly, running public transit, supporting the arts, protecting the public and ensuring an economically, environmentally and socially healthy future for all Torontonians.
Voting is a fundamental part of democracy. When you vote, you are choosing how you want to be governed. You are selecting representatives – Toronto’s Mayor and Councillors – who will make the laws and policies for the City.
Toronto City Council is the main governing and legislative body of the City of Toronto. City Council is made up of the Mayor and 44 Councillors. The Mayor is the only member of Council who is elected by voters from across the city. Each councillor represents one of Toronto’s 44 municipal wards (a geographic area of the city).
Unlike other orders of government, there are no political parties at the municipal level. Elections happen once every four years. The next municipal election will take place on November 8, 2010.
Who can vote in a municipal election?
You can vote in Toronto’s municipal election if you are:
You must also either:
In addition, you must not be prohibited from voting under any law. For example, people convicted of crimes who are in jail are not eligible to vote in Toronto’s municipal election.
If you live in Toronto and own or rent more than one property in the City, you must vote where you live. You may only vote once in Toronto’s municipal election regardless of how many properties you own or rent within the City.
How do I know when and where to vote?
A few weeks before voting begins, the City sends a voter information card to every person who is on the voters’ list. This card tells you where you can vote in the advance vote and on election day.
The voters’ list is the list of names and addresses of eligible electors used at the voting location. Individuals who are on the voters’ list will receive a voter information card letting them know when and where they are able to vote.
The City uses the voters’ list to provide voters with election information and to manage voting locations. The voters’ list is created by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) who provides a copy to the City.
What should I bring with me when I go to vote?
When you go to your voting place, you should take your voter information card and one piece of personal identification showing your name and your address in Toronto.
Examples of acceptable identification are:
If your name is not on the voters list you can still vote if you complete the necessary form at the voting location.
How do I vote?
There are three parts to the Toronto election ballot. Each ballot will list all of the candidates running for Mayor and the candidates running for Council and school board trustee in your ward. If you are a non-resident owner or tenant of land assessed as commercial or industrial you cannot vote for a school board trustee.
To vote simply:
If you make a mistake or change your mind about who you want to vote for simply take the ballot to the election official who will cancel your ballot and issue another one to you. If you have any questions on how to properly mark the ballot, any of the election staff will be happy to explain it to you.
If you know that you won’t be able to vote on election day, you can either go to one of the City’s advance vote locations or you can appoint another eligible elector to act as your proxy. To appoint a proxy, you and the person who will be voting on your behalf, need to complete a form and have it certified by the City Clerk’s Office.
Who can be a candidate in the municipal election?
Anyone who is an eligible elector may put their name forward to be a candidate in the municipal election (provided they are not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office). To run in a municipal election, candidates don’t need to belong to a political party. The City Clerk has a full list of criteria and qualifications.
In 2006, there were 456 candidates in Toronto’s municipal election. 38 people ran for Mayor and there were 275 candidates for Council. If you’re interested in being a candidate, please contact the City Clerk’s Office for more information.
How do candidates raise money to run their campaigns?
Once a candidate has filed their nomination papers with the City, they are able to start fundraising and spending money on their election campaign.
Individuals, corporations and trade unions can all contribute to a candidate’s election campaign. Councillor candidates can accept a maximum of $750 per contributor, and mayoralty candidates can accept a maximum of $2,500 per contributor.
Toronto has established a contribution rebate program so that people who give money to candidates can receive a refund for part of their donation.
There are limits on the amounts a candidate can spend on expenses during the campaign period. These limits are based on the number of electors in the ward in which the candidate is seeking office. The City Clerk informs candidates about their spending limits.
Who Is Running?
For an updated list of who is running and who is not, visit the City of Toronto website here: