Nova Scotians Have Their Say During School Board Elections

Nova Scotians will have their say in how Nova Scotia's public education system is run by electing eight school boards as part of municipal elections this month.

More than 170 candidates have put their names forward for 102 seats on the province's school boards.

"School board members play important roles in the education of our children," said Education Minister Karen Casey. "I urge all eligible voters to cast ballots and strengthen our education system by electing effective school boards."

Nova Scotians can vote for their regional school board member, the African Nova Scotian member, or a member for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.

Each board has an African Nova Scotian representative. To be eligible to vote for an African Nova Scotian candidate, voters must be

• an African Nova Scotian, or
• be the parent or guardian of an African Nova Scotian.

The Conseil scolaire acadien provincial is the provincial school board serving more than 4,200 Acadian and francophone students. To be eligible to vote for a candidate for this board,

• the voter's first language learned and still understood is French, or
• the voter received primary school instruction in Canada in a French first-language program, or
• the voter's child has received or is receiving primary or secondary school instruction in Canada in a French first-language program.

Electors must self-identify at their regular polling station for these special ballots.

Nova Scotians may vote during advance polls in some districts on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11, and provincewide on Oct. 14. Election day is Oct. 18.

More information on school board elections can be found by contacting the Nova Scotia School Boards Association at 902-491-2888 or on the website at www.nssba.ednet.ns.ca .