The Wood Buffalo council byelection is being held today, and residents are reminded to vote. The special election was made necessary when Coun. Guy Boutilier resigned on January 24. Seven individuals are running for the council. The polls opened at 9 am this morning and they will stay open until 8 pm tonight. Poll locations include the Oil Sands Discovery Centre, Ecole St. Paul School, MacDonald Island Park, and Holy Trinity High School. In order to vote you must be a Canadian citizen, be a minimum of 18 years old, and have been a resident of Alberta since at least September 30, 2014. Voters must also be a resident of Ward 1 as of today, and you must present a valid item of identification from the list of acceptable identification located at rmwb.ca/elections.

The seven candidates who are running for the single election seat available in the Wood Buffalo council byelection are Mohammad Dogar, Monte Vickerson, Veronica Doleman, Chris Flett, Mike Durocher, Colleen Tatum, and Verna Murphy. In the last few elections the voter turnout has not been fantastic, and officials are hoping that voters will go to the polls and make their choice in bigger numbers this time around. The poll hours show that the municipality is trying to make it easier for voters to turn out even if the work during the day. Many citizens do not make an effort to vote, taking their freedoms and the way things are right now for granted. Voting is a privilege as well as a right and more citizens should make the effort to have their voice heard when it comes to government affairs and their elected officials.