The City of Red Deer is making changes to its election format in 2021 to increase accessibility and convenience for voters, and to ensure voting stations are safe for voters, staff and the general public, regardless of the state of the pandemic.

At the election, Red Deer voters will vote for one Mayor, eight Councillors, and either Public or Catholic School Trustees. Rather than dedicated neighbourhood voting stations, voters will be able to vote at any one of eight voting stations on Election Day, or one of three voting stations on any one of thirteen Advanced Vote days.

“Our Election planning typically starts about 18 months ahead of the Election, and at that time we were in the midst of the pandemic,” said Returning Officer Samantha Rodwell. “Recognizing the changing public health restrictions and the need to ensure space for physical distancing, we knew our traditional voting stations in smaller centres would not be feasible.”

Advanced Voting will be open for 13 days from October 4 to 16. On those days, voters can attend any one of three voting stations from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

• Parkland Mall: 6359 50 Avenue
• Baymont by Wyndham Red Deer: 4311 49 Avenue
• Westerner Park: 4847A 19 Street

In addition, voters can choose to attend any one of eight voting stations open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, October 18:

• Northside Community Centre (YMCA): 6391 76 Street
• Radisson Hotel Red Deer: 6500 67 Street
• Parkland Mall: 6359 50 Avenue
• Joseph High School: 110, 2700 67 Street
• Baymont by Wyndham Red Deer: 4311 49 Avenue
• Cambridge Red Deer Hotel & Conference Centre: 3310 50 Avenue
• Collicutt Centre: 3031 30 Avenue
• Westerner Park: 4847A 19 Street

“Voters will have 39 opportunities to participate in the Advanced Vote and eight opportunities to vote on Election Day,” said Rodwell. “With voting stations being held at larger centres, and the increased number of opportunities, we are not only confident voters and staff will feel safe and secure, but we are also hopeful we will see an increase in voter turnout.”

Enhanced public safety measures will be in place to ensure safety of voters and staff: voting stations will have dedicated entrances and exits, enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures will be in place, and stations will be laid out to allow for proper physical distancing. Any potential masking requirements will be determined based upon public health guidelines and local bylaws in place at the time of the Election.

“In addition to allowing voters to vote at any station, we’re also providing more information to voters so they can make an informed decision,” said Rodwell. “Enhanced candidate profiles are already available on our website, offering more information about candidates, their priorities, and links to their personal platforms. Come Advanced Vote and Election days, we will also have a map with real-time updates about wait times at voting stations so voters can decide which station will work best for them.”

Nominations opened on January 1 and, as of June 15, 23 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for positions of Mayor, Councillor or School Board Trustee. The City will continue to accept nomination forms until September 20, 2021 at 12:00 noon.

Both the City of Red Deer and the City of Lethbridge are amending their election operations in 2021 to allow eligible voters to select their voting station and allow for enhanced safety measures during the pandemic.

Information about Red Deer’s 2021 Election, including a voting station map, a list of current candidates and their submitted profiles, is available online at elections.reddeer.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications
The City of Red Deer