For first time, electronic tablets to be used for early in-person voting across Nova Scotia

Nova Scotians are heading to the polls on Nov. 26, but many will cast their ballots before that date. Here's everything you need to know to vote in the provincial election.

Get on the voters list

Voters can register by mail or email by downloading the application form the Elections Nova Scotia website and following the instructions. Send the form by email to elections@novascotia.ca or by mail to:

• Manager, Information Systems and Technology, PO Box 2246, Halifax, N.S., B3J 3C8

You can also register online to vote or update your address on the voters list.

To be on the Nova Scotia voters list and be eligible to vote in this provincial election, you must:

•  Be a Canadian citizen.
•  Be at least 18 years old on election day.
•  Have lived in Nova Scotia for at least six months before the election was called.

Already registered voters

Nova Scotians who are already registered to vote will no longer be mailed a voter information card. This is due to the potential Canada Post strike.

If you're not sure if you're registered, you can call Elections Nova Scotia at 1-800-565-1504. You'll be asked to provide personal information such as your date of birth in order to verify your identity.

How and where to vote

During the provincial election, voters can choose to cast their ballot before election day or in-person on Nov. 26. There are a total of 24 voting days, including election day, which Elections Nova Scotia said is one of the largest number of voting days in the country.

Early voting options include voting at a returning office, voting at a community or advance poll, or by write-in ballot. Internet voting is not yet available in the provincial election.

During early voting, you are able to vote from anywhere in the province, meaning you can go to any voting location in Nova Scotia and cast a ballot for the candidate of your choosing in your electoral district.

This "vote anywhere" option ends on Saturday Nov. 23. After that, voters can only vote at their local returning office or their assigned election day voting location.

On election day, voters must cast their ballot at their assigned voting location.

Voters can find a voting location near them by entering their address into the "where do I vote" tool on Elections Nova Scotia's website.

New electronic tablet voting system

For the first time in the provincial general election, electronic tablet voting — being referred to as "e-ballots" by Elections Nova Scotia — will be used during early voting in lieu of paper ballots.

Voting by tablet starts on Thursday, after the close of candidate nominations on Wednesday. Before that, voters will receive a paper ballot and have to write in the name of the candidate they are voting for.

The new system was developed because of the amount of time it would take to count early ballots once polls closed in previous elections.

Naomi Shelton, director of policy and communications for Elections Nova Scotia, said the bulk of ballots were cast before election day in the 2017 general election.

"We were counting into the wee hours of the next morning, so we found a solution. We decided to digitalize the count for early votes and that meant that those votes could be counted quickly, basically with the push of a button," said Shelton.

"That means that the bulk of votes can be counted ahead of time."

When residents check in at a voting location, they will be given a paper envelope with a barcode. They will go behind the voting booth and hold the bar code up to the scanner.  The ballot will then load onto the tablet screen and the voter will make their selection. It will then print out a paper copy of the ballot, which voters fold and slip it into the provided envelope, and then stick it into the ballot box just like a traditional ballot.

The print-out ballot is for backup in case the electronics fail, and also for auditing purposes after the election.

There are also written instructions on the inside of the voting booth to walk voters through the process.

Shelton said the new system was successfully used in the Preston and Pictou West byelections. 

She said if the electronics do fail for any reason, there are contingency kits at the ready with traditional paper ballots, said Shelton. 

Voting at a returning office

Nova Scotians can vote early at any returning office every day except Sunday, up to and including the Saturday before election day. Offices are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; they will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. the Thursday and Friday immediately before election day.

Elections Nova Scotia says on the Monday before election day, as well as election day itself, people can vote at the returning office in their electoral district or their assigned voting location.

Voting at a community poll or advance poll

Residents who want to vote early can also visit community and advance polls. People can vote at any community or advance poll in the province between Nov. 16 and Nov. 23.

These polls are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are closed on Sundays.

Information on the closest community or advance poll to you can be found by visiting Election Nova Scotia's website or by calling 1-800-565-1504.

Voting on election day

Nova Scotians can vote in-person on election day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at their assigned voting location or at the returning office in their electoral district.

Voting by write-in ballot

All eligible voters can apply to vote using a write-in ballot. This can be done:

• By mail.
• By agent.
• In-person.
• By a home visit team.

All write-in ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on election day to be counted.

You can have a trusted friend or family member who is 18 years or older act as your agent, or you can make an appointment through your local returning office for a write-in ballot team to visit you at home to help you vote.

Write-in ballot voting is conducted every day except Sunday during hours the returning office is open.

Other voters

Visit the Elections Nova Scotia website for more information about how to vote if you're homeless, living in a seniors' residence, staying in hospital, military personnel posted outside Nova Scotia, a university student in Nova Scotia or incarcerated individuals.