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.

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