COLD LAKE – As of noon on Sept. 21 the official list of candidates running in the 2021 Cold Lake municipal election has been confirmed.
Craig Copeland, Cold Lake’s current mayor, will return to the mayoral seat by acclamation as he runs unopposed for the position. Copeland has served as the mayor for the City of Cold Lake since 2007.
Following the vote on Oct. 18, the Cold Lake council will see at least half of the seats filled with new faces after three councillors have opted out of running in the 2021 municipal election.
Councillors Jürgen Grau, Duane Lay and Kirk Soroka, will not be seeking re-election.
Of the 14 candidates running for a seat on council, three are incumbents. Councillors Bob Buckle, Vicky Lefebvre and Chris Vining are hoping to maintain their seats on council.
Coun. Buckle has held his seat the longest of his fellow councillors, having been first elected in 2007. Both Coun. Lefebvre and Vining have served on Cold Lake council since October of 2010.
The 11 other candidates vying for a seat on council include: Larry Ashcroft, Ryan Bailey, Hussein Elkadri, Sarah Fewchuk, Murray Gauthier, Ryan Lefebvre, Bob Mattice, Rhea McMillan, William (Bill) Charles Parker, Debra Pelechosky and Adele Richardson.
Election day voting
On Monday, Oct. 18, Cold Lake residents will vote at Energy Centre Reid Field House from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters will need to bring with them a piece of identification that includes their legal name and address.
Advanced and Drive-through voting
Residents wanting to vote early or who are unable to vote on election day will have four opportunities to do so. Two of the advanced voting days will be walk-in, and two will be drive-through voting.
Walk-in advanced polling will happen on Thursday, Oct. 7 at the Energy Centre Reid Field House between 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., as well as on Friday, Oct. 15 at the Cold Lake Seniors' Centre located at 1301-8 Ave. from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For drive-through voting, both polls will take place in the parking lot directly east of the Energy Centre and will open two hours earlier, compared to the advanced walk-in voting.
The first drive-through advanced polls will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 5, at the Energy Centre east parking lot from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The second drive-through polling station will happen on Wednesday, Oct. 13, and will also be located at the Energy Centre east parking lot from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Special ballots
For Cold Lake residents unable to vote on election day or at an advance polling station due to a physical disability or absence from the region, they can apply to vote by special ballot by contact the Deputy Returning Officer at City Hall. The Deputy Returning Officer can be reached at 780-594-4494 ext. 7915 or email [email protected]
Individuals with a visual impairment are able to access advance polling on Oct. 7 at the Energy Centre at the walk-in polls and on Oct. 15 at Harborview Seniors Centre where the City of Cold Lake will provide the AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminal (VAT), according to the City’s websites.
