THE EKN elections are held to elect 25 council members, who choose an executive committee amongst their members every 4 years. The EKN council members represent Estonian Canadians, their interests and organizations.
We have done our best to update the existing mailing list with pre registration to distribute ballots by mail; however, we know that people who have moved, married or emigrated to Canada are either missing from the mailing list or the data is inaccurate. Estonians who are visiting Canada and/or have a permanent residence outside of Canada cannot vote.
Who can vote?
Every Estonian who is a permanent resident of Canada and is 18 or older by December 31, 2015 and who has registered to vote, has the right to vote. This includes:
- Adults with Estonian citizenship
- Adults with at least one parent who is Estonian
- Adults who are married to an Estonian
To vote you can register at a voting station.
- Vancouver – Sunday December 6th – Christmas Market (register and vote)
Following the Service (about 12:15). Meie Kodu, 6520 Oak Street (Oak /49th)
Questions? Contact: Anne Tork 604 535-2611…or email atork@telus.net - Toronto – Saturday December 12th 12-4pm – Rahvajõulupuu
(you may also vote at that time or submit your ballot) - Toronto – Wednesday December 16th 11-1pm – Ehatare
- Ottawa – Saturday December 19th – Ottawa Jõulupeol
(you may also vote at that time or submit your ballot)
Finally – if you missed the pre-registration and cannot vote at a polling station, then there is one more option.
Over 4,000 ballot packages are being mailed to those who pre-registered or voted before, if your parents receive a package, you can photocopy the ballot, but make sure you add your name to their registration form and enclose all of the ballots and the registration form in the enclosed prepaid envelope. The ballots will be mailed to a post office box and directed to the Elections Committee at the end of December.
You cannot vote by email. Each voter can vote for up to 25 candidates.
Revised (detsember 15, 2015)
Please note: All ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before December 28th in southern Ontario , and on or before December 24th in northern Ontario and other provinces. Envelopes postmarked after these dates will not be counted.
If you live in the GTA, and miss the postmarked date of December 28th, then you may drop off your ballot at the Estonian House office mailbox until 1pm December 31st. After that the Estonian House is closed.
3 Ways to preserve the confidentiality of your vote.
1) Vote at a polling station where you complete both the registration form and ballot – the registration form goes in one box and the ballot into another.
- Both forms need to be completed to enable us to balance (match) the voters list with the total number of ballots.
- We need to improve the information on the EKN mailing list. For example, address changes, add first names and add email addresses. If you do not have an email address, then put (POLE or NA).
- If you would like to vote at a polling station, then you can still do so at Ehatare between 11am and 1pm on Wednesday December 16th or at the jõulupidu in Ottawa on Saturday.
2) Voting by Mail. As we are allowing families to include their children who are eligible voters, and expanding the list of eligible voters, we need to ensure that the number who register to vote corresponds with the total number of votes counted. Therefore, everyone must complete a registration form who submits a ballot.
- You may put your ballot in an envelope(small – not provided) and include the registration form with the ballot in a second envelope that is provided to those who pre registered for voting by mail. If you do not wish to use 2 envelopes, read on.
- When you are ready to mail your ballot, fold the ballot so the white side shows on the outside and put that in the envelope prior to adding the registration form to the return envelope. Then we can remove the registration form to see how many ballots remain in the envelope and verify that the voters listed are eligible and have not voted at a polling station. Once this has been verified, the envelope with the ballots goes to the ballot counting team and the registration team updates the voters list.
The Election Committee consists of 10 people, but this may increase based on the number of ballots received. The Election Committee consists of the Polling Station Coordinators: Margus Aruja, Anne Tork, Valdo Tammark, Kristi Sau Doughty (Assistant Director) and Mari Ann Tammark (Chief Electoral Officer) and their assistants at the polling stations. In addition, there are numerous assistants on the ballot counting team and the registration team which consist primarily of university students and girl guides.
EKN Elections Committee
Mari Ann Tammark
