Homeless Halifax mayoral candidate pushes for voting access for those without permanent addresses
Housing is one of the leading issues on the municipal campaign trail in Halifax. The insufficient housing supply and homelessness are often contested topics among policy makers.
One of Halifax’s 16 mayoral candidates, Andrew Goodsell, is homeless. He lives in a designated tent encampment in the city’s south end.
Goodsell said the housing crisis drove him to run for mayor and advocate for change. He said he wants homeless people and those without an address to be able to vote.
"A couple of the navigators did show up here a couple of days ago with a laptop trying to get everyone’s information, saying they are going to do their best to provide an address so that they can vote,” said Goodsell. “I believe it’s all of our responsibility, mine and yours, to make sure the people do know what's going on. How they can vote and the difference it makes in this world.”
Goodsell voting should be made convenient for people without a permanent address because their voices matter.
Ryan Nearing, a spokesperson with HRM confirmed that community outreach workers are assisting homeless residents register to vote and are explaining the different voting options.
"We have our municipal outreach teams going out and providing education,” said Nearing. “That includes exploring the different voting options that are available, both the advanced polls, the election day voting and online voting but also providing clarification on who they will be voting for in their local races."
Residents in designated tent encampments will be able to vote in the local districts where they currently reside said Nearing.
Online voting opened Tuesday and already 8.5 per cent of eligible voters have cast their ballot either online or by phone.
The Halifax municipal election is set for Saturday, October 19th.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Who should lead the Liberals? 'None of the above,' poll finds
As questions loom over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a new Nanos Research poll commissioned for CTV News says a quarter of Canadians say none of the potential candidates appeal to them.
Canada's response to Trump deportation plan a key focus of revived cabinet committee
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people has the Canadian government looking at its own border.
New technology solves mystery of late First World War soldier's flower sent home to Canada
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
U.S. election maps: How did 2024 compare to 2020 and 2016?
Though two states have yet to be officially called, the U.S. election map has mostly been settled. How does it compare with the previous two elections?
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day: What's open and closed in Canada?
While banks and post offices will be closed nationwide on Remembrance Day, shops and businesses could be open depending on where you live in Canada.
BREAKING Judicial recount for Surrey-Guildford confirms B.C. NDP's majority
The B.C. New Democrats have a majority government of 47 seats after a judicial recount in the riding of Surrey-Guildford gave the party's candidate 22 more votes than the provincial Conservatives.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.