City introduces new online voter registration tool

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 9, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

Voters in Medicine Hat can now check their voter registration status, update their information and register to vote by using a new online tool the city rolled out Tuesday prior to the Oct. 20 election.

Residents are encouraged to register in advance of voting to help minimize the wait times on election day.

Over the past weekend, some voters reported waiting up to an hour to cast ballots during the first round of advance polling.

Due to a record number of council candidates (39), six mayoral candidates as well as school board trustee hopefuls, this year’s ballot is the longest ballot in city history and can take several minutes to complete.

Coun. Shila Sharps made a brief announcement during open council Monday evening reminding voters that recent changes to legislation, provincial law requires all voters, regardless of their registration status, must fill out a form at the polling station.

“You can pre-register on the city website in advance and it’ll only take five minutes and it will save you a lot of time,” said Sharps.

The new technology also gives voters the flexibility to cast their ballots at any polling station in the city on election day.

“As electors vote, their names are virtually struck off the List of Electors,” reads a press release. “The computerized system updates in real time across all polling locations to maintain accurate records of who has voted.”

The registration tool can be accessed, as well as a full list of polling stations can be found by visiting medicinehat.ca/voterinfo.

The next round of advance polls at both the Hockey Hounds Recreation Centre in the north and Holy Family Parish in the south will open daily Oct. 14-18 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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