Nomination Qualifications

Qualifications to Run as a Trustee, Nominate a Candidate, or Vote

To determine your eligibility to run as as a Trustee, Nominate a Candidate, or Vote, there are four factors to consider:

1) General Eligibility (LAEA s.47)

2) Residency - Physical (LAEA s.21)

3) Faith-Based Eligibility and Residency (EA s.74)

4) Determinations of Residency

General Eligibility

LAEA s.47 - A person is eligible to participate in a school board trustee election if they:

(a) are at least 18 years of age;

(b) are a Canadian citizen; and

LAEA s.21 - To be eligible for nomination as a candidate, a person must on nomination day:

(a) be eligible to vote in the election in which the person is a candidate,

(b) have been a resident of the local jurisdiction and the ward, if any, for six (6) consecutive months immediately preceding nomination day (see below for further details), and

Subject to the exceptions in sections 22, 23, and 24 of the Local Elections Act (LGA) and section 256(3) of the School Act (SA)

Below, see the requirements for residency based on faith, and based on ward locations.

Residency - Physical

There are two distinct dimensions that determine a person's place of residence: physical residence and faith-based residence.

Physical residency is governed by these rules:

(a) a person may be a resident of only one place at a time for the purposes of voting.

(b) if a person has more than one residence in Alberta, they must designate one place of residence for the purposes of candidacy and voting.

(d) a person does not lose their residence by leaving their home for a temporary purpose, such as going on vacation.

Wards

Wards subdivide the total geographical area of the school authority into smaller geographical units. Persons who reside in a particular ward are residents of only that ward: all wards have one representative, except for Ward 3 (Stettler) which has two representatives.

Section 47 and 48 of the Local Authorities Election Act requires that, where wards or electoral subdivisions are established, a person is only eligible to run as trustee, nominate a trustee candidate, or vote in the ward in which the person resides (unless a voting station is established in a location outside of a particular ward).

Clearview Public Schools has established wards in the division. Click HERE for a map of the electoral wards.

Every voter must make a statement in the presence of an election officer at the voting station, in the prescribed form, that the person is eligible to vote as an elector and produce for inspection at least one (1) authorized identification verifying the person's identity and current residence.

For more information on voter eligibility identification requirements, click HERE.

Faith-Based Eligibility and Residency

Section 74 - Education Act

Where a separate school district is established, an individual residing in the boundaries of the established area is considered a separate school elector if they declare they are of the same faith (either Protestant or Roman Catholic) as those who established the separate school district. A separate school elector is eligible to be nominated as or vote for either a public school trustee or a separate school trustee for the school board in which the person resides (not both).

Clearview Public Schools has parts of the division where Roman Catholic school boundaries were formed. Residents of areas that have Roman Catholic school district boundaries must choose to be a resident of the Roman Catholic school division or a resident of the public school district: for the purposes of school board elections, a person cannot be a resident both and must choose one.

All else considered, persons residing in an area that does not also have a Roman Catholic school boundary is a resident of the Clearview Public Schools and eligible to vote or run as a trustee. Similarly, if you are not of the Roman Catholic faith and reside in an area that has a catholic school boundary, you are a resident of the Clearview Public Schools and eligible to vote or run as a trustee.

Determination of Residency

To help to determine a person's place of residence, the following can be used in order of priority:

(a) The address shown on the person's driver's license issued on behalf of the Government of Alberta or an identification card issued on behalf of the Government of Alberta.

(b) The address where the person's income tax correspondence is addressed and delivered to.

Where elections are concerned, a person loses their place of residence if they leave without the intention of returning to it. People who do not meet the residency requirements are not allowed to run or vote in that election.