WHEREAS the Local Authorities Election Act sets out various requirements governing the eligibility of candidates in local elections, as well as governing the eligibility of local electors for the purposes of those elections;AND WHEREAS Section 21 (b) of the Local Authorities Election Act states that individuals are only eligible for nomination as a candidate in a local election if they have been a resident of the local jurisdiction and ward, if any, for the six consecutive months immediately preceding nomination day;AND WHEREAS Section 47 (c) of the Local Authorities Election Act states that individuals are only eligible to vote in a local election if they have resided in Alberta for the six consecutive months immediately preceding election day and reside in the local jurisdiction on election day;AND WHEREAS in some cases these requirements are not sufficient to protect the integrity of the local election process;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to amend Section 21 (b) the Local Authorities Election Act to require that individuals are only eligible for nomination as a candidate in a local election if they have been a resident of the local jurisdiction and ward, if any, for the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding nomination day;AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to amend Section 41 (c) of the Local Authorities Election Act to require that individuals are only eligible to vote in a local election if they have resided in the local jurisdiction and in the ward, if any, for the six consecutive months immediately preceding election day.

There are many circumstances when the current eligibility requirements may allow discrepancies to arise during a municipal election. This concern is especially relevant in situations involving wards and/or communities that are closely located in distance. In such situations, electors may be able to inadvertently cast their ballot in a ward in which they are not eligible to vote.In order to minimize the likelihood of these discrepancies, the following changes are recommended:1. Amend Section 21 (b) to increase the period of time a nominee is required to reside within a ward; and2. Amend Section 47 (c) to make more explicit the period of time an elector must reside within a municipality and specific local ward, as opposed to “Alberta”, thereby greatly reducing the potential for transients or visitors to cast ballots in a ward in which they are not eligible to vote.